Morning News Update for May 12 2020

The Island Health region continues to show declines in the number of new cases and the number of people in hospital because of COVID-19. BC saw 23 new cases over the weekend, but none in Island Health. There was one death, but it was not reported where that occurred. 130 people including five in the island health region have died from the virus. There is only one person in hospital in this region, compared to 66 people province-wide. And currently, there are only eight active cases of the virus in the Island Health region.Airlines and airports are feeling the financial pinch from this pandemic. Vancouver International Airport has announced it is laying off one-quarter of its 550 employees who work in airport operations, engineering, finance, HR and administration. The Airport Authority expects passenger numbers will continue to decline from 26 million passengers per year to between 8 and 15 million passengers annually for the next few years. Airlines are also reacting to a dramatic drop in passengers by dropping some of their flights. Westjet and Air Canada have suspended their Nanaimo to Vancouver flights and Air Canada has also suspended its flights from Nanaimo to Calgary until July. Air Canada says it will not resume its seasonal flights from Nanaimo to Montreal and Toronto until 2021. Both airlines say anyone who has booked flights before those dates will be refunded.Meanwhile, BC's Provincial Health Officer says while borders will remain closed to international travellers for the foreseeable future, talks are underway to allow reunification of families, who have been living apart since mid-March. Currently, spouses who are not Canadian citizens have been prevented from living in this country during the pandemic. Dr.Bonnie Henry says officials recognize this is a hardship that can be eliminated soon. BC's Independent Investigations Office is looking into another incident involving the Nanaimo RCMP. The most recent incident involves a woman who was arrested under the Mental Health Act on March the 18th. Police were called to the Gateway Mental Health Housing facility to attend to the woman who was described as "agitated and uttering suicidal threats." The woman claims she suffered a leg injury as a result of her arrest. The IIO says it will investigate whether police action or inaction led to what it calls "serious harm to the female." Last month, the IIO recommended charges involving the use of force against a Nanaimo police officer for "serious injuries" of a woman who was arrested on December the 2nd. Crown counsel has not yet decided whether to lay charges in that case.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: [email protected]: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.