Economic fallout could be even worse than imagined Welcome to the Maclean's daily newsletter. As the coronavirus disrupts life in Canada, and Canadians get used to the notion of "social distancing" and "flattening the curve," Maclean's has expanded this newsletter to include everything you need to know about the global pandemic. You'll still find our best stories of the day at the bottom of the newsletter, but we'll also catch you up on news and notes from around the world. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “There are more important things than living,” said Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, after the Republican-led state government began to reopen its shuttered economy. The state has more than 20,000 cases of COVID-19 and 500-plus deaths. In Canada, more than 38,000 people have been infected with COVID-19 while more than 1,800 have died. Worldwide, some 2.5 million people have been infected and 175,000 have died. The World Food Programme of the United Nations warns that up to 300 million people face “acute food insecurity” as COVID-19 hits the developing world and disrupts food supplies and economies. Milwaukee’s health commissioner said that at least seven cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin are linked to those who voted in the state’s April 7 election. Tens of thousands stood in long lines after Republicans, who control the state legislature, won a last-minute U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited the use of mail-in ballots, suddenly in high demand because of the pandemic. In the end, the party's state Supreme Court candidate was defeated by a Democrat. A report in the CDC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal shows how COVID-19 can spread in an air-conditioned setting. The respiratory droplets of one asymptomatic person at a restaurant in China infected 10 others by travelling in the flow of air from the air conditioning system. Those removed from that line of cooled air didn’t become infected. The authors suggest improving ventilation and putting more distance between tables. “The doomed 30-year battle to stop a pandemic,” is the headline of the latest story by Paul Wells for Maclean’s. It asks, “For decades, researchers and officials obsessed with planning to stop an outbreak. Then along came COVID-19 and we were sitting ducks. What went wrong?” It turns out that one significant issue was that new governments constantly have to relearn the lessons of the past. Wells calls it the “Groundhog Day pattern of erasing earlier gains.” Queen Elizabeth II turned 94 on Tuesday but didn’t want the usual fuss, which means forgoing military gun salutes and flags being flown. Instead, the royal pastry chefs shared their chocolate birthday cupcake recipe online, which includes a truly royal buttercream icing. Yummm! Neiman Marcus, the iconic American department store chain, is expected to file for bankruptcy protection any day now, as the coronavirus is the last blow to its fragile finances. Like many retail chains, it is laden down by debt incurred by its owners, which includes the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Frustrated at how your home makes you feel—now that you’re spending a lot more time in it—but not ready to go “full Marie Kondo”? The Associated Press asked designers for tips on how to create a more inviting retreat, starting with your entry area. Take a break from your COVID concerns by listening to master storyteller LeVar Burton (of Reading Rainbow fame). Technically, the Monday option is for little ones, Wednesdays are for young adults and Fridays for grown-ups, but why not listen to all three? As well, Michelle Obama is reading a children’s book every Monday on the PBS Kids YouTube channel, starting with The Gruffalo. —Patricia Treble As of the latest update, this is the number of confirmed cases in Canada. We're updating this chart every day.
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