MONTREAL: The head of Canada´s armed forces has said preventing the spread of the coronavirus in the country is the “primary concern” of his troops.
“Today, our mission along with the armed defence of Canada is to safeguard our health, safeguard the health of Canadians, and be prepared to respond to calls for assistance,” General Jonathan Vance said in a statement Friday.
Units will be able to “deploy by sea, road or air” to support authorities in the battle against the pandemic in Canada, the statement added.
Domestic and global operational commitments will be maintained, the statement said, although some missions “will be reviewed” and scaled back to protect the health of soldiers.
All those returning from deployment will be quarantined for 14 days. Canada has so far reported 4,757 infections and 55 deaths from the coronavirus.
On Thursday the defence ministry announced it was scaling down its training of the Ukraine military — started in 2015 in response to Russia´s annexation of Crimea — due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Meteorological Organisation flag. — AFP FileGENEVA: Global temperatures hit record highs last year, and...
This image shows the outside view of the U.S. Senate. — AFP/FileWASHINGTON: Billions of dollars in foreign aid for...
Each year, many African migrants brave the perilous “Eastern Route” across the Red Sea and through war-scarred...
State Department US building can be seen in this picture. — AFP/FileWASHINGTON: The U.S. State Department’s annual...
Former US president Donald Trump. — AFP/FileNEW YORK: The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal hush money...
Abortion-rights activists hold a protest on in Phoenix, USA. — AFP/File WASHINGTON: The idea of a doctor in the...