Canada reached a new grim milestone Monday, as the number of deaths from COVID-19 exceeded 5,100. Most of those deaths are in Quebec, where the number has reached 3,013, with a total of 38,469 cases by Tuesday.
Despite the high numbers in the province, children could return to classrooms across much of Quebec this week, as day cares and elementary schools outside the Montreal region welcomed students back, despite concern from some about the risk of reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Classes could have a maximum of 15 students, desks were to be spaced apart and schools employed a range of measures to ensure physical distancing. But even with the public health measures, some parents are choosing not to send their children back to class, which is allowed as attendance is not mandatory.
Schools in hard-hit Montreal, which were initially slated to open May 18, have had their opening date pushed back to May 25 at the earliest. Premier François Legault said the situation in Montreal remains "fragile," and it is possible that schools and day cares in the Montreal region won't open until September.
Quebec's move comes as provinces across the country are making decisions about what restrictions to lift and when, as many areas are seeing the daily number of new coronavirus cases drop.
Stores in Ontario with a street entrance have reopened for curb side pickup only after a weekend that saw the spread of COVID-19 slow to a pace not seen since March. Premier Doug Ford said the move to reopen the stores will allow thousands of people to return to work.
Canada has over 70,000 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases, with 33,007 of those listed as resolved by the provinces and territories.
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