Canada's tougher action on cove in 19.

The gold to protect the health of Canadians and the economy.

We as a country are very well positioned to face big challenges as Canada's military starts preparing plus Italy's unprecedented measures and separation anxiety.

A Quebec woman cleared of the virus but her husband still in the hospital in Japan.

Ah, victorious former vice president.

This campaign will send down Trump packing theme new two way race after Super Tuesday on one year after being diagnosed with cancer.

Now I'd be lying if I said the journey had been an easy one.

What is Alex Trebek's update on his health?

Global National with Donna Friesen.

Good evening and thanks for joining us.

Canada is now ramping up the federal response in case what's happening in other countries.

With Cove in 19 starts toe happen here, it would strain.

Both are already overstretched health care system and the economy.

So a special new Cabinet committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has been set up to tackle it.

The job of this committee is to ensure that Canada is ready and prepared for all eventualities, and we are we take the cove it 19 outbreak very seriously.

There's natural to be concerned about what covert 19 might mean for you and your family's health.

This is a concern that public health authorities across Canada are taking very seriously, and government at all levels are engaged in the response.

The Bank of Canada also slashed its key interest rate today by half a percentage point, saying the virus is a negative shock to Canada's economic outlook.

We'll have more on that in just a moment, but we begin with the outbreak itself.

There are now 34 confirmed cases in this country all our NBC and Ontario, except for one in Quebec.

In tonight's top story, David Achin looks at Canada's rapidly evolving response to what is an unprecedented outbreak.

So today we had our first meeting of the Cabinet committee.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland chairs this special committee, but it will be Health Minister Patty Hi Do who will take the lead on a whole of government effort to make sure healthcare systems across the country can contain the virus and if that fails, deal with an outbreak.

So far, so good cases in Canada all related to travel no cases yet of community transmission, and our discussions and work has focused on ensuring that our self surveillance systems are detecting cases and our health systems are prepared for an increased activity.

Ah kee task for public health officials communicating to Canadians that most cove it 19 infections are mile.

Such patients can be cared for in the community while reserving, of course, very scarce resource is potentially for those who really need it, Tam says.

Phone ahead before going to the hospital.

Now, half of this special committee holds economic portfolios in Trudeau's Cabinet.

That's no coincidence.

Every forecaster now including the Bank of Canada, says the country's economy will take a hit.

We recognize there are many different people in industries that are seeing challenging situations because of the Corona virus.

That's why opposition MPs were pressing for quick action now on the economic front.

And so what I'm looking for from the government are things like, Is there a fiscal stimulus plan?

Is there a jobs plan?

I'd like to see some support for workers who may have to self quarantine to make sure that there there's some financial compensation for them, so that There's not a disincentive to stay at home.

So lots of pressure on the prime minister and his cove, it 19 committee to rapidly deliver results on both the health front and the economic front.

And Donna, there's gonna be not much margin for error.

David.

There is news tonight about how the Canadian military is preparing in case this outbreak impacts their operations.

Tell us about that.

That's right, Donna.

A general order went out to the military today because they're getting prepared in case there's a pandemic.

We have two main objectives.

Wants to preserve the force on our ability to function, should there be a pandemic, gathers to support Canadians.

And of course, the military first of all, has to protect its own members.

And so these new orders ban all non essential travel to countries with an outbreak.

Commanders also have the authority to cancel vacations for the troops.

The military is also going to review whether it ought to hold large gatherings Now, second of all, the military has to have plans in place to assist a federal or provincial government or municipal government in trying to deal with ah pandemic here, Chief of Defense staff Jonathan Vance, telling Global News that the military is making those plans on the worst case assumption, and that is that they might have a CZ many as 25% 25% of their members could be in quarantine or fighting Cove in 19.

Don't wise to make worst case scenario plans David Aching and Ottawa Thanks.

The outbreak is already having an impact on supply chains of companies in Canada, and the Bank of Canada is concerned about the economic outlook for this country.

So it cut Canada's key interest rate by half a percentage point overnight.

It's dropped from 1.75 to 1.25%.

That's the first drop since 2015 and it's in line with the cut the U.

S.

Federal Reserve made yesterday.

It's hope the lower rate will boost consumer confidence and help settle the markets, which have been on a rocky ride over the past week.

Today, the TSX closed up 355 points done.

Porter, the chief economist at BMO, says it's a smart decision given the situation.

Very few people saw banker can the interest rate cuts any anywhere close to this soon.

So obviously the world has changed in a very short period of time, and I think this is a constructive step in helping to address the rest of the economy from from the virus.

The drop in interest rates might help those looking to buy a home or a vehicle, but it won't help cover the costs if your company's employees have to stay home or other parts of your daily life are disrupted by the outbreak, Porter says the rate cut is an immediate step policymakers contain, and they do have other tools they can use further down the road if the economy slides.

If things really do get tough and challenging in the in the months ahead there there is room certainly a TTE the federal level for the government.

Thio either cut taxes or to spend more money to support the economy in the U.

S.

California has now reported his first death from Cove in 19 and the governor of that state just declared a statewide emergency.

The latest case to be confirmed as a medical worker who was screening passengers at Los Angeles International Airport.

Cities like Los Angeles have also declared a public health emergency, which will trigger more state and federal funding to help deal with the outbreak.

11 people have now died in the U.

S.

There are more than 150 known cases across 16 states.

The virus has also spread to America's biggest city.

There are now six confirmed cases in New York City, including the first case of community spread.

Ah, lawyers in Lawyer in his fifties, who works in Manhattan, has Cove in 19 and where he got it is not certain he has spread it toe others, New York's governor says the man's wife, two Children and a neighbor who drove him to the hospital, all of whom live in Westchester County, have tested positive.

They're now at home in self isolation, and the man is in critical condition.

In the hospital.

There are going to be dozens and dozens and dozens of people, and the more people you test, the more people you're going to find.

Public health officials there are now tracing who the newest case came in.

Contact with.

Staff of the man's law firm are being monitored.

The school in university his Children attended, closed temporarily.

New York's Transit system is ramping up disinfection to try to minimize the spread.

The biggest outbreak outside China is still in South Korea.

More than 5600 people have tested positive there, and that's overwhelming the hospitals.

At least 32 people have died to try to stop the chain of transmission.

Up to 10,000 people a day in South Korea are being tested.

This is one way they're going about it.

Drive through testing centers.

It is quick.

It keeps people away from clinics and emergency rooms and reduces the risk of spreading the infection.

South Korea has screened more than 100,000 people.

Italy and the U.

K are to other countries to watch.

Italy is taking drastic action now.

All schools and universities are closing tomorrow for at least 10 days, and for the next month, all sports events, including major rugby and soccer matches, will be played in empty stadiums.

There are more than 3000 confirmed cases in Italy and 107 deaths.

And in the UK the number of positive cases also jump today to 87.

The worst case scenario says the UK, is chief medical officer.

Is that up to 80% of the population could be infected.

Crystal Go Mansingh is in London tonight, halting education nationwide from preschool to university.

Italy's prime minister says the country is fighting with all measures Against Cove in 19 Giuseppe Kant says, we felt it was the right thing to do to suspend educational activity until the 15th of this month.

So not his parent says.

I completely agree, and I hoped for this decree because I feared an outbreak in the school.

The military is preparing to help care for those who are ill.

It's shared video from multiple sites being set up theater Valiant government warned that no matter how good the health system is, it is at risk of being overburdened.

Ah, third Red Zone is being considered to restrict the movement of people in hopes of slowing the spread of the virus.

And there are plans to ban public events and shut down movie theaters.

Measures that could be in the near future for UK residents were not at the point yet where we're asking large numbers of people to self isolate, knowing compliance could be an issue.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his conservative government will bring in legislation giving three more days of statutory sick pay for workers who are self isolating.

Hospital emergency rooms in England now have Corona virus pods.

They're set up to separate potentially infected people from everyone else.

Basically, they're small shed like structures at the hospital entrance, where people can check in Donna.

All right, Krystal Demand sing in London.

Thanks.

In other news tonight, another contender has dropped out of the race to be the next president of the United States.

Mike Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, has concluded he has no path to victory in the Democratic nomination.

He did badly on Super Tuesday, the biggest election day of the Democratic primary calendar, and he's now endorsed former Vice president Joe Biden, who made a huge comeback yesterday.

There are now three main candidates left in the ones crowded field.

So where do things go from here?

Abigail Beeman picks up the story from Washington Call Super Tuesday for nothing.

If Bill Clinton was called the Comeback Kid with Joe Biden, it's more like Lazarus was dead and buried as faras pundits and even the leadership of the Democratic Party was concerned.

Joe Biden won most Super Tuesday states, including a surprise win in Texas as part of his Southern sweep.

Wear very much alive.

Think about it.

This campaign I will send Donald Trump packing was a great comeback for Joe Biden.

Incredible comeback when you think about it on more Joementum.

Wednesday, as Michael Bloomberg dropped out the billionaire backing Biden, I entered the race What president to defeat Donald Trump.

And today I am leaving the race for the same reason.

It isn't that Joe Biden inspires them.

It's that they think he might be able to defeat Donald Trump.

And that is Priority 12 and three for the Democrats, even one in Massachusetts, where Bernie Sanders spent a lot of time and energy trying to beat Elizabeth Warren in her home state, she came in third, but Sanders did win the biggest Super Tuesday prize projected to win California, where results are still coming in.

Joe has his ideas, his record, his vision for the future.

I have mine and I look forward to a serious debate on the serious issues facing uh, this country.

The field has narrowed to a two man race, but they're still a long road ahead with more primaries next week.

Six states are up for grabs, and blue collar Michigan will be especially interesting.

Sanders wanted in 2016 and he's pushing hard for it again.

But it was Donald Trump who won the state overall.

Donna All right, Abigail Demon in Washington Thanks the draft deal on rights entitle in northern BC Willow wood so it and people agree to it.

The tough task on their hands that's coming up the past months has made clear how much work there is to do on reconciliation in this country and to clear up unresolved issues about indigenous rights and title, including who has the authority to say yes or no to projects like pipelines.

Now attention is on a new draft deal and whether the with so it's hereditary, chiefs, NBC and the elected band councils will agree to it.

Sarah McDonald reports.

There appears to be a moment of calm in northern BC a draft deal centered on rights and title drawn up through intensive talks with government now left in the hands of this nation and its people.

I'm glad they're doing that because we have to be listened to tasked with coming to a consensus on how to proceed with the proposal that wouldn't impact this project but would no doubt carry weights moving forwards when the conditions have been met.

To everyone's satisfaction, I don't see how it's possible anyone can actually stop it at this point.

The end of the line for that already fully permanent pipeline promising economic opportunity to the first nations along this corridor here in Kitimat, where the liquefied natural gas will ultimately be exported to Asian markets, the skills built on this project are going to be lifelong.

The elected leaders of Heisler Nation among 20 band counsel's signing on in a bid to inject their communities with jobs and funding something many what So a 10 are also seeking.

As a power struggle over leadership leaves this nation divided, we empathize with their community.

Unfortunately, most First Nations communities do endure those types of disagreements when it comes to leadership difficult and deeply personal work that now needs to be resolved internally within with so intonation.

We want all our elders in the young people to work together away from the world stage.

It's largely never asked to be on Sarah McDonald Global News witsec bc torture memo Still ahead a Canadian man's tale of abuse in an Egyptian prison.

There's a call for help tonight from a Canadian man who came to this country as a refugee and found himself behind bars in Egypt, accused of espionage without friends or family to champion his cause.

Joseph L.

A.

Tar has been largely for gotten.

Now, in a series of letters, he alleges Egyptian authorities have tortured him, and he's begging the Canadian government for help.

Our Ottawa bureau chief, Mercedes Stevenson, as the story.