Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will address the nation this afternoon (1 p.m. ET) to update Canadians on the latest action being taken to try to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
Cabinet ministers leaving a meeting in Ottawa yesterday promised big action, but didn't elaborate.
Canada's top public health official, Dr. Theresa Tam, is warning that COVID-19 has become a serious health threat.
She says people must stay home in an effort to ``social distance,'' to prevent the virus from spreading so fast that health-care facilities are overwhelmed.
She adds that Canadians returning from trips abroad should immediately go into self-isolation for 14 days rather than simply self-monitoring.
Over the weekend, the number of confirmed cases in Canada climbed from 197 to 341.
Provincial governments, meanwhile, are ramping up efforts to battle the virus.
Quebec is advising people over age 70 to stay home, and that others should only go out to work, buy necessities, get health care, take a walk or help the elderly.
Alberta has cancelled classes for students in kindergarten through Grade 12 and is closing licensed daycares.
Even the judicial system is affected, with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice suspending operations as of Tuesday, postponing all trials except the most urgent.