TORONTO -- Canada's COVID-19 case toll has soared past 3,400 with 35 people now dead and authorities going after anyone violating public health orders. Here's what else you need to know to start your day.

1. Mandatory isolation: Staying home after a trip outside the country is no longer a request -- it's an order. All travellers returning home to Canada must go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days according to new measures being enacted under the Quarantine Act.

2. Coronavirus aid: The federal government is merging two previously introduced employment insurance benefits to provide Canadians who are now unemployed or off work because of COVID-19 with $2,000 a month for four months.

3. Flattening the curve: New modelling research suggests that prematurely lifting physical distancing measures may lead to a "second wave" of COVID-19 cases in Wuhan, China, as experts signal the need for a "slow and steady" approach in Canada.

4. Virus response: While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hasn't ruled out invoking war-time measures to handle COVID-19, he has so far deferred to the emergency measures invoked by provincial governments. CTVNews.ca looks at how the provinces are responding.

5. Staying safe while stocking up: Grocery stores have become the unofficial frontline in the fight against the novel coronavirus, with Canadian grocers taking unprecedented steps to keep both customers and employees safe.

One more thing…

Virtual classrooms: How to keep students on top of their studies while protective pandemic measures are keeping them out of school is one of the big questions facing parents and teachers across Canada, with many turning to online learning or homeschooling.

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