© John Mahoney Shoppers line up to enter the Maxi grocery store in the LaSalle borough of Montreal on Friday, April 3, 2020.

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This post was updated throughout the day on Saturday, April 4.

Top updates

Police can now give out $1,000 tickets

Quebec cases jump by almost 900; 14 new deaths

Millions of masks coming from China: Trudeau

One nurse’s war against COVID-19

Podcast: Should you be wearing a mask?

Banks cut credit card interest

More help for the vulnerable

More below

4:15 p.m.

Police can now give out $1,000 tickets

As of today, Montreal police and the Sûreté du Québec can immediately issue $1,000 tickets to people who continue to break rules banning indoor and outdoor gatherings.

Until now, officers from the two forces would fill out a report that would be sent to prosecutors who would then decide whether fines would be issued.

“This is going to accelerate the process – instead of it taking a month, you’ll get the ticket right away,” André Durocher, a Montreal police inspector, told the Montreal Gazette.

The change came via a directive Saturday afternoon from the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales, the provincial prosecutor’s office, he said.

The Quebec government issued an order last month prohibiting most indoor and outdoor gatherings .

Most Montrealers are following the rules “but a certain number of people aren’t,” Durocher said.

He said he thinks the $1,000 fine – plus $546 in fees – will “help raise awareness.”

If more people heed the order, authorities might not have to take more drastic measures, Durocher said.

“The objective is to make sure that Montreal can continue to go for a walk in the park,” he said.

Mayor Valérie Plante has said Montreal may close public parks if people continue to gather in them in groups.

3:43 p.m.

Here are Quebec’s key messages for today

3:18 p.m.

What the premier is reading and watching

Premier François Legault took the day off today but he’s still tweeting, letting his 161,000 followers know about his reading and TV-watching preferences.

J’ai lu « La vérité sur l’Affaire Harry Quebert » de Joël Dicker. Rien de mieux pour relaxer qu’un bon roman policier. Écrit par un auteur suisse, récipiendaire d’un Grand Prix de l’Académie française. Des histoires d’amitié et d’amour dans un petit village du New Hampshire. pic.twitter.com/QpLv8Mdctp — François Legault (@francoislegault) April 4, 2020

J’ai vu la série québécoise "La Faille". Des images à couper le souffle: Fermont, la mine, le mur-écran, les chemins enneigés de la Côte-Nord. L’excellente Isabel Richer, la surprenante Mariepier Morin, le sympathique Alexandre Landry et le colérique Patrick Hivon. À voir! pic.twitter.com/Mc7w72u2b4 — François Legault (@francoislegault) April 4, 2020

3:05 p.m.

‘Don’t think that the mask is the solution’

Here’s some of what Horacio Arruda, Quebec’s public health director, had to say about masks today.

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3 p.m.

China’s death toll

From the Washington Post : “The coronavirus pandemic ravaging the globe officially claimed 2,563 lives in Wuhan, where it began in a market that sold exotic animals for consumption. But evidence emerging from the city as it stirs from its two-month hibernation suggests that the real death toll is exponentially higher.”

Official Chinese statistics put Wuhan’s coronavirus death toll at 2,563. Evidence coming out of the city suggests it was actually more than 40,000. Our latest: https://t.co/6D2zHtAd17 — Anna Fifield (@annafifield) April 3, 2020

2:20 p.m.

Keep your distance in parks

Montreal police are watching.

Même par une belle journée, la distanciation physique reste importante. Le #SPVM est très présent dans les parcs municipaux et partout sur l’île afin de s’assurer qu’aucun rassemblement n’ait lieu et que les directives soient respectées. Merci de votre collaboration.#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/t15yAoxCBW — Police Montréal (@SPVM) April 4, 2020

2:18 p.m.

Updated charts

Today’s update. Quebec is recording much more recoveries now. Total cases up 15%. pic.twitter.com/mwKltqUdEG — Steve Faguy (@fagstein) April 4, 2020

2:03 p.m.

The Great Mask Debate

So much debate over pros/cons of masks this week. This made me laugh. pic.twitter.com/YK1568sUzn — Cheryl Strachan, RD (@SweetSpotRD) April 4, 2020

2 p.m.

Quebec cases jump by almost 900; 14 new deaths

Quebec has 6,997 cases of COVID-19, an increase of 896 from yesterday, deputy premier Geneviève Guilbault said in her briefing this afternoon.

There have been 75 deaths in total, an increase of 14.

There are 130 COVID-19 patients in intensive care, an increase of eight.

Horacio Arruda, Quebec’s director of public health, said community transmission is now happening all over Quebec. We are in a new phase, he said.

In the previous phase, in some parts of Quebec, transmission was still happening mostly via people who had traveled outside Canada.

He said there are still “hot and cold zones” but Quebec now considers that there is general community transmission. He urged Quebecers who have cold or flu symptoms to tell health workers – and to wear masks to protect health workers.

“Right now, we have things in control,” Arruda said.

Asked about the use of masks, Arruda said: “Do not believe a mask will protect you 100 per cent.” Whether or not they wear masks, Quebecers must stick to social distancing and washing hands, he added.

Health Minister Danielle McCann was asked about the Jewish General Hospital’s decision to ban guests in its maternity ward.

McCann said the hospital took the measure after learning that the partner of a woman giving birth had COVID-19 but nevertheless visited the maternity ward. She said he could have infected other people.

If you have symptoms, stay home, she said.

New figures released this afternoon show Montreal cases jumped from 2,837 to 3,261, an increase of 424.

Guilbault announced that the province will restrict non-essential travel, as of 4 p.m., in two new areas – the Charlevoix region and the city of Rouyn-Noranda.

Several parts of the province are already under a no-travel order.

“It will help us prevent the virus from spreading from one region to another,” Guilbault said.

She reiterated that non-essential businesses in the province must remain closed and Quebecers must limit excursions and practice physical distancing.

“Efforts are making a real difference – they are saving lives,” she said.

#COVID19 - Au Québec, en date du 4 avril 2020, 13 h, la situation est la suivante : ➡️6 997 cas confirmés ➡️75 décès ➡️3 879 personnes sous investigation ➡️83 230 analyses négatives (cas infirmés) Pour connaître le détail par région : https://t.co/fiqW5E4y8R — Santé Québec (@sante_qc) April 4, 2020

12:48 p.m.

Beware projections

Ontario released COVID-19 projections yesterday showing as many as 3,000 to 15,000 Ontarians may die .

The federal and Quebec governments say they’ll release similar scenarios next week.

But, The Canadian Press reports, data experts are cautioning already on-edge Canadians against taking dire predictions about COVID-19 deaths literally, even as the revelation of stark data coincided with more physical distancing measures and impassioned pleas by government and health officials to stay home.

Pandemic experts say such projections are not really meant to predict the future, but rather to provide a general guide for policy-makers and health-care systems grappling with a growing pandemic.

Ideally, the information should also assure average citizens that their individual actions can make a difference, said University of Toronto epidemiology professor Ashleigh Tuite.

Read the full story here .

12:25 p.m.

‘We can’t even count on our closest friend and ally’

As a Canadian, I’m insulted by the Trump Administration’s attempt to stop vital medical supplies coming into Canada. This is not in anyone’s best interest, and it’s not how friends and neighbours treat each other when things get tough. pic.twitter.com/0ee5rNK5aT — Jason Kenney (@jkenney) April 4, 2020

12:19 p.m.

Montreal Via Rail maintenance worker tests positive

Via Rail Canada says an employee who works in the storage room of its Montreal maintenance centre has tested positive for COVID-19. He has not been at work since April 1 when he reported symptoms.

Via said that the three employees who had been in direct contact with the person have been in self-isolation since April 1. Now that he has tested positive, they will remain in self-isolation for the next 14 days, the inter-city passenger rail service said.

Via said it has performed a thorough cleaning, following Canadian Public Health Agency guidelines.

11:51 a.m.

Millions of masks coming from China: Trudeau

In his daily briefing this morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said a chartered plane with millions of protective masks is on its way to Canada, from China.

He said Canada has also rented a warehouse in China to help coordinate purchases and shipments of medical supplies.

Trudeau was asked about the Trump administration telling 3M not to ship masks to Canada.

In his reaction yesterday, Trudeau referred to the thousands of Canadian nurses who travel from Windsor to Detroit to help in American hospitals.

A reporter asked Trudeau if he was threatening to stop those nurses from crossing the border?

Trudeau said it was not a threat. He said he was pointing out that Canada and the U.S. have a mutual interest in keeping borders open for a flow of essential goods and services in both directions.

“The U.S. will be hurting itself as much as Canada will hurt” if the U.S. cuts off medical exports to Canada, he said.

He said Canadian and American officials are in discussions and he plans to speak to President Donald Trump in the coming days.

“We do better when we work together and that will be my message to the president,” Trudeau said.

Trudeau noted Canada ships gloves and testing kits to the U.S.

“We don’t want to start limiting our exports to the U.S., either goods or services,” Trudeau answered. “We need to be able to count on each other. I’m certain we will be able to find a solution to this conundrum.”

Trudeau also said:

Regardless of the models and projections that Ottawa makes public in the coming days, the measures put in place by governments – closing schools and businesses, for example – are saving lives. “This will only work if everyone continues to do their part.”

Canada will provide $158 million to help the homeless. The money could be used to purchase beds and physical barriers and renting extra space to reduce overcrowding in shelters.

$40 million is going to address immediate needs of women’s and sexual assault centres as follows.

$10 million has been allocated to emergency shelters for Indigenous women and children fleeing violence.

HAPPENING NOW: I’m giving my daily update on the COVID-19 outbreak and the Team Canada effort underway to make sure you, your family, and your business have what’s needed to pull through. Tune in for the latest: https://t.co/6MsBfPTtdm — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 4, 2020

10:56 a.m.

New York funeral homes struggle to keep up

WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT.

Funeral homes in New York are in crisis as demand surges amid the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press reports. Funeral Services NYC is equipped to handle 40-60 cases at a time but on Thursday, the roster numbered 185.

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10:53 a.m.

‘We’re all in this together’

10:33 a.m.

One nurse’s war against COVID-19

Yasmine Abilmouna, a 25-year-old emergency room nurse at the Jewish General Hospital, is a foot soldier in the war against the pandemic.

Read our story here , by Christopher Curtis

10:15 a.m.

How some American states are buying masks

This is where we're at in buying PPE. An Illinois official sped on a highway to get to a meet-up in a McDonald's parking lot, where she handed off a $3.4 MILLION CHECK to buy N95 masks from China with 20 minutes to spare, beating other bidders. https://t.co/267fo2kpUA — Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) April 4, 2020

10:03 a.m.

Five ways COVID-19 has changed our behaviour

As COVID-19 spreads, behaviour is changing profoundly in ever more ways, in our strange new world.

Here are five ways COVID-19 has changed columnist Josh Freed’s behaviour.

10 a.m.

Don’t rubberneck in a pandemic: SQ

Le niveau de l’eau a monté à certains endroits au Québec, ce qui entraîne des évacuations. Cela apporte un lot de curieux sur les lieux. Nous vous rappelons donc que, peu importe la situation actuelle, les rassemblements sont interdits et les contrevenants sont passibles d’amende — Sûreté du Québec (@sureteduquebec) April 4, 2020

9:56 a.m.

‘Tonda, you might be on mute’

2020 in a nutshell...pic.twitter.com/DbFJSRE2pa — Farhan Mohamed (@farhanmohamed) April 3, 2020

9:44 a.m.

Podcast: Should you be wearing a mask?

The U.S. government is now recommending Americans wear cloth face coverings to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Should you be wearing a mask?

On the latest episode of Postmedia’s 10/3 podcast, the Montreal Gazette’s Monique Beaudin and National Post health reporter Sharon Kirkey tackle the topic.

9:38 a.m.

Banks cut credit card interest

Bank of Nova Scotia, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Royal Bank of Canada, National Bank of Canada and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce said on Friday they are cutting interest rates on credit cards to provide relief to customers affected by COVID-19 pandemic, the Reuters news agency reports.

Late on Friday, Scotiabank said it would reduce credit card interest rates to 10.99 per cent for personal and small business clients who have been approved for, or seek, payment deferrals.

Earlier, in separate statements, TD Bank said it will cut credit card interest rates by 50 per cent for customers experiencing hardship, and Royal Bank said it will reduce the charges by the same extent for clients receiving minimum payment deferrals.

National Bank will allow credit card customers to defer minimum payments for up to 90 days and reduce annual interest rates to 10.9 per cent for these clients, it said.

CIBC too will reduce interest rates to 10.99% on personal credit cards for users who request to skip a payment, Canada’s fifth-largest lender said.

Most Royal Bank, TAD, Scotiabank and CIBC credit cards charge 19.99% interest on purchases. Most National Bank cards charge 20.99%.

9:30 a.m.

More help for the vulnerable

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce today more financial support aimed at helping the most vulnerable Canadians survive the COVID-19 pandemic, The Canadian Press reports.

The new announcement follows Friday’s commitment of $100 million for organizations that help get food to Canadians who can’t afford groceries or who have uncertain access to food and other basic necessities, including Indigenous Peoples and remote northern populations.

That funding is to go to groups like Food Banks Canada, Salvation Army, Second Harvest, Community Food Centres Canada, and Breakfast Club of Canada.

Government officials have said several more initiatives to help vulnerable people would follow.

In its first financial aid package, approved by Parliament last week, the federal government committed some $200 million to help shelters for homeless people and women and children fleeing domestic violence.

9:27 a.m.

Quebec, federal updates coming up

Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec deputy premier Geneviève Guilbault, are scheduled to provide updates today. Trudeau’s briefing is to begin at 11:15 a.m., while Guilbault is up at 1 p.m.

I’ll provide live coverage here.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this item said Premier François Legault would be holding a press conference. In fact, he’s taking the day off.

9:20 a.m.

Reminder: Grocery stores closed Sunday

To give retail employees a break, Quebec has ordered stores still operating through the crisis to close on Sundays in April. Exceptions: pharmacies, gas stations, dépanneurs and takeout restaurants.

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9:05 a.m.

Quebec has just under half of Canada’s cases

As of 4:00 a.m. on April 4, 2020, Canada had 12,547 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada.

Here’s the breakdown by province and territory:

Quebec: 6,101 confirmed (including 61 deaths, 306 resolved)

Ontario: 3,255 confirmed (including 67 deaths, 1,023 resolved)

British Columbia: 1,174 confirmed (including 35 deaths, 641 resolved)

Alberta: 1,075 confirmed (including 18 deaths, 196 resolved)

Saskatchewan: 220 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 36 resolved)

Nova Scotia: 207 confirmed (including 21 resolved)

Newfoundland and Labrador: 195 confirmed (including 1 death, 11 resolved)

Manitoba: 164 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 11 resolved), 18 presumptive

New Brunswick: 95 confirmed (including 22 resolved)

Prince Edward Island: 22 confirmed (including 4 resolved)

Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed

Yukon: 6 confirmed

Northwest Territories: 2 confirmed

Nunavut: No confirmed cases

Total: 12,547 (18 presumptive, 12,529 confirmed including 187 deaths, 2,271 resolved)

8:30 a.m.

What’s open and closed in Montreal

We are constantly updating our list of what is open, and mostly what is closed , in Montreal.

8:30 a.m.

Nightly newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter dedicated to local coronavirus coverage here: montrealgazette.com/coronavirusnews

8:30 a.m.

If you have symptoms

Quebecers who think they have symptoms of COVID-19 should call Quebec’s hotline at 1-877-644-4545.

ariga@postmedia.com