• As a response to a request from the Government of Quebec, 125 members of the Canadian Army are coming to the province to help out in long-term care facilities.
• Quebec remains the province with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada.
• Get more information below.
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Premier François Legault has time and time again told us that Quebec is currently understaffed in its centres d’hébergement de soins de longue durée (CHSLDs), which led the Government of Quebec to submit a formal request for help from the Canadian Government. In a press conference on April 17, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Quebec will now be receiving additional assistance from the Canadian Army in its senior homes. As of April 18, members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) will come to Quebec to help support health care workers who are at the front line of the novel coronavirus battle.

Previously, Legault had asked "every health worker" to "come forward" and offer their help in CHSLDs, and two days later extended this call for assistance to graduating students.

As the province continues to need help, more measures are being taken.

In a news release from the Department of National Defence, it states "125 CAF members with health care training that will begin to deploy on Saturday, April 18th in Quebec, to assist in LTCF in the Province."

The CAF members will be offering patient assistance, nursing coordination, and delivery of essential medical equipment.

A live feed of the Canadian Prime Minister's press conference on April 18 is available below.

Trudeau reminded his listeners that "these are not normal times," and that we must continue to follow health guidelines in order to maintain the process we have made thus far.

Doing so, he says, will help stop the spread of COVID-19 in Canada.

During a public briefing on April 18, François Legault said that he takes "full responsibility" for the situation in the CHSLDs and wishes he would have increased "the salaries of the beneficiary attendants" more rapidly.

And, he thanked Justin Trudeau for providing the province with the necessary additional support that the Government of Quebec requested.

As of April 18, the number of COVID-19 total cases in Canada is 32,412.

Quebec remains the province with the highest number of cases, with 16,798 confirmed on April 17. But, has also been deemed the place doing the best with social distancing in all of North America.