Montreal deployed resources to the city's Trudeau international airport on Monday to urge Canadians returning to the country to self-isolate as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the province continued to rise.
Dr. Mylene Drouin, Montreal's director of public health, said travellers from outside the country will have to go past civil security and public health employees before leaving the airport.
Canada announced Monday that it would close its borders to nearly everyone who isn't a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, though Americans are exempt from the ban.
The city's measures are needed because travellers arriving in the province do not appear to be taking Quebec's order requiring two weeks of isolation seriously, Drouin said.
"Each time a traveller does not self-isolate, it's a breach that the virus can get through into the community," she told reporters.
Travellers will be given an information sheet and asked to note their symptoms and take their temperature twice a day during the isolation period.
Public health officials have also made a request to the federal government for masks and thermometers to hand out to returning Canadian travellers.
Provincial health authorities said Monday the number of new confirmed COVID-19 tests is up to 50 across the province. There were 3,073 people under investigation for the disease, while 3,079 have received a negative result.
Premier Francois Legault appealed to Quebecers to donate blood to ensure stockpiles are not depleted as people avoid going out.
Later Monday, Legault announced a new program to support workers who have to self-isolate during COVID-19 and are not eligible for federal employment insurance.
He said the program will pay out the equivalent of the maximum EI benefit of $573 a week for two weeks, which could potentially be stretched to four if needed.
It is designed to cover those who have to self-isolate because they have symptoms of the virus, they have been in contact with someone who has or they have returned from travel. Only those who are not covered by their employers or other benefits programs will be eligible.
Legault said that while the federal government is expected to announce expansions to EI in the coming days, he wants to make sure all workers are covered.
"I want to send a strong signal to say that people who need to isolate, if you aren't eligible for the new EI program of the federal government, we'll have a program, for both autonomous workers and everyone who isn't covered by EI," he said.
The province will also accelerate public infrastructure spending and announce further aid to businesses and individuals in the coming days, Legault said.
Health Minister Danielle McCann said the province has enough test kits and will be ratcheting up testing as of Tuesday with the opening of new centres allowing for more than 6,000 tests per day, up from 1,600.
Meanwhile, Drouin said isolation is key for all returning travellers.
"That's why we're asking friends, family, colleagues to support people who'll be in self-isolation or confinement for 14 days because they've travelled abroad," Drouin said. "If you have someone coming (home) from a trip, help them, get them their groceries and medication. Call them every day."
Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said travellers must be made aware that upon arriving in Canada, they cannot go to work, school or anywhere else for two weeks.
"It's actually essential if we want to contain the virus, so having public health, public security agents there will send a very strong message," she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2020.
Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press
