MONTREAL — A Montreal suburb with a high proportion of seniors in its population has confirmed its first four cases of COVID-19, leading local authorities to extend a state of emergency and raise the possibility of sealing off the community.
"We are 34,000 in a very small area with apartment buildings, condos, a large religious community," Cote-St-Luc Mayor Mitchell Brownstein told an emergency council meeting broadcast on YouTube.
"We certainly don't want to be an epicentre to have the virus spread throughout the province."
City officials had feared the virus arriving on its territory, where about one-third of the people in the suburb are 65 and older — the largest percentage of seniors in the province, Brownstein noted.
The city reported that a patient was transported from the Le King David assisted-living home to the Jewish General Hospital, which is designated to treat novel coronavirus patients. The person had attended a wedding at a rented synagogue with hundreds of people, including health-care workers, Montreal public health officials said.
The other cases were connected to a local synagogue — Congregation Beth Chabad — which reported that several members had tested positive for COVID-19, one of which has been confirmed.
The local council extended an emergency measure to close all non-essential commercial businesses, one day after shuttering all synagogues and other places of worship in the area and forbidding gatherings of more than 10 people on Tuesday.
The motion also called on Quebec to consider "drastic measures," including "limiting access within the perimeter of the city" — with police help if necessary.
Quebec's director of public health said he isn't ready to quarantine the community yet.
"I think it would be dangerous for mayors to take those decisions without being in touch with us," Arruda said. "Because it's important to have not only to have the aspect of your city, but what's going on around."
Montreal's public health director agreed such an order would require co-ordination.
"It is a provincial responsibility," Dr. Mylene Drouin said. "I think at this time, we cannot take those decisions without having a public health analysis, the data and the efficiency of the measures we've put in place."
Brownstein has already urged anyone coming back from abroad — including an influx of snowbirds returning from Florida — to follow provincial instructions to self-isolate for 14 days and not leave their homes.
Quebec announced the number of COVID-19 cases had gone up to 139, with 10 people hospitalized.
Premier Francois Legault told his daily briefing on Friday it is unlikely that schools will reopen this month.
Legault said junior college and university students will likely be able to complete their semester through distance learning, but the situation is different for children in primary and secondary school.
"We're looking at maybe targeting the beginning of May," Legault said of younger students. "Different scenarios are being examined, teaching younger students online seems fairly difficult."
The province is also fast-tracking public sector infrastructure projects to help the economy.
Legault noted there are plenty of needs in the education, health, roads and transportation sectors, and construction is an industry that can continue despite the virus, as long as precautions are taken for workers.
"Construction in Quebec means 260,000 jobs, and if there is an economic sector that can continue to operate despite the crisis, it's this one," he said.
Legault also indicated help was coming for media — which he called an essential service given the pandemic.
The premier said he was doing well and that contingencies were in place should any key decision-maker fall ill.
"I'm in good shape and I don't see any problem," Legault said. "I feel very well."
He also repeated a plea to Quebecers ahead of the weekend not to travel to other parts of the province — even to help parents.
Legault noted that edict would involve a personal sacrifice, as he will miss his son's birthday Sunday.
"He's in Montreal, I'm in Quebec City, but that's life," Legault said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2020.
Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press
