Canada Mobilizing 24,000 Troops To Assist With COVID-19 Response - Defense Minister

TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th March, 2020) Canada's military is mobilizing 24,000 regular and reserve troops to assist with the response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Minister of National Defense Harjit Sajjan told reporters on Monday.

"The Chief of Defense Staff has developed a plan that will see the Canadian Armed Forces mobilizing up to 24,000 regular and reserve force members across the Canadian Armed Forces to support these efforts," Sajjan said. "The Canadian Army have readied up to 10 regular force units across Canada."

The defense minister said that the Canadian military has been preparing for this scenario and is ready to assist vulnerable communities, especially indigenous and isolated communities, as well as provinces should a request be made.

Chief of the Defense Staff Jonathan Vance told reporters the army is ready to provide medical, logistical and engineering support, both in the short and long-term should the military be asked for assistance. Vance added that the army is preparing for scenarios where a coronavirus-stricken community can be affected by an additional disaster, such as a flood.

As of Monday, Canada has registered a total of 6671 COVID-19 cases and 66 deaths related to the disease, according to the country's chief medical officer.

Globally, COVID-19 has infected more than 755,000 people and killed more than 36,000, according to Johns Hopkins University's real-time tracker.