The latest developments on COVID-19 in Canada

The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern):

12:15 p.m.

Three more residents of a nursing home in central Ontario have died of COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths at the facility up to 26.

The wife of a resident at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Ont., has also died from the novel coronavirus.

The outbreak at the seniors' residence in Ontario's cottage country is considered one of the worst in the country.

At least 24 staff members at the facility have also tested positive for COVID-19.

11:55 a.m.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's confident shipments of personal protective medical gear from the U.S. will continue to arrive in Canada.

He was responding to reports U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to keep U.S.-made medical equipment on American soil.

Trudeau says talks between the two countries are ongoing and have proven to be productive.

11:30 a.m.

Politicians in southeastern British Columbia are calling on the provincial health officer to close the B.C.-Alberta border to non-essential travel.

A statement on the Regional District of East Kootenay website says people are not heeding the message from health officials in both B.C. and Alberta urging everyone to stay home.

The regional district also wants all non-resident property owners to stay away and it is seeking closure of all private campgrounds, overnight and backcountry camping.

11:24 a.m.

Nova Scotia is reporting 31 new cases of COVID-19.

The province's total has now grown to 293 confirmed cases — 64 of which have been resolved.

While most cases in Nova Scotia have been connected to travel or a known case, the province has confirmed cases are now being linked to community spread.

11:22 a.m.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says 240,000 people successfully applied for emergency relief in the first few hours after Ottawa opened the process.

Only people with birthdays in the first three months of the year can apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit today.

The benefit offers $500-a-week payments for workers who have lost all of their income.

Trudeau says changes to the program will come soon to offer help for people whose hours have been slashed but who are still working a little.

10:50 a.m.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is calling on the government to increase the charitable donation tax credit.

He says this would help increase charitable contributions to hospitals, churches, food banks, women's shelters and other worthy organizations.

Scheer also wants the government to immediately remove the capital gains tax on charitable donations of private company shares and real estate.

He says although many businesses are struggling, some are still thriving and should be encouraged to support the charitable sector.

10:40 a.m.

Ontario is reporting 309 new COVID-19 cases, including 13 additional deaths.

There have now been a total of 4,347 cases in the province, including 1,624 resolved cases.

The new cases represent a 7.7 per cent increase in the past 24 hours, but the number of resolved cases jumped by more than 37 per cent.

10:38 a.m.

Halifax police say they issued 39 tickets on the weekend for violations of the province's Health Protection Act and the Emergency Management Act.

That means Halifax Regional Police have handed out a total to 47 tickets since the province declared a state of emergency on March 22.

The majority of the fines were handed to people in prohibited areas under the Emergency Management Act.

7 a.m.

Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says Canadian passengers on the Coral Princess cruise ship will be headed home today, after undergoing a health screening.

Champagne says in a tweet that Canadians who don't show any symptoms of COVID-19 will be allowed to disembark the ship in Florida and get on a flight chartered by Holland America.

The minister says they'll be screened again upon arrival and subject to a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period.

Some passengers were allowed off the ship yesterday but Canadians weren't among them, due to new guidelines by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

Those guidelines said cruise passengers shouldn't board commercial flights, meaning only those with chartered flights were able to disembark.