The Nova Scotia government is offering $50 million in loan guarantees for the province’s larger tourism operators struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will provide eligible operators access to debt financing, such as lines of credit or term loans issued by a chartered bank or the Business Development Bank of Canada, at more favourable terms.

Eligible businesses must have annual revenues of at least $10 million and employ at least 100 people, while having experienced revenue decline of at least 50 percent between April 1 and July 30, compared to the same period last year. They include resorts and tour operators.

In March, the province also provided $50 million to support businesses that closed as a result of public health orders.

Under the tourism program, the amount of debt cannot exceed $15 million per applicant, and the province will guarantee up to 95 percent of the amount borrowed.

Australia/New Zealand

Australia’s largest city Sydney lifted quarantine restrictions on travellers from New Zealand on Friday while the second largest city, Melbourne, marked the 100th day of one of the world’s longest pandemic lockdowns.

More than 350 passengers are scheduled to take three flights from Auckland on Friday and will not have to undergo hotel quarantine on arrival in Sydney.

New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: “This is great news for tourism. It’s also great news for family reunification and grateful businesses.”

New Zealand will continue to insist that travellers from Australia quarantine in hotels for 14 days on arrival.

Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, has loosened lockdown restrictions as new and active COVID-19 continue to decline.

From midnight Sunday, Melbourne residents will no longer face limits on the time they can spend away from their homes for education or recreation. Previous restrictions allowing Melburnians to travel only 5 kilometres (3 miles) from home will increase at midnight to 25 kilometres (15 miles).

Outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people from two households will be allowed and golf and tennis can resume.

Thailand

Thailand has closed all border crossings between its northern province of Tak and Myanmar after five people in the Thai border town of Mae Sot tested positive for the coronavirus.

The five, none of whom exhibited symptoms, are the first locally transmitted cases confirmed in Thailand since early September. All five are members of a family of Myanmar nationals residing in Thailand.

Along with cases found among people quarantined after arriving from abroad, seven additions on Sunday brought Thailand’s total number of cases to 3,686, including 59 deaths.

In response to the new cases, schools in the Mae Sot area were ordered closed for seven days and only take-out service is allowed at restaurants and food stalls. Shops, malls and fresh markets remain open but must take temperature checks and enforce social distancing.

Thai authorities in the past two months have sought to tighten crossings in northern Thailand, which shares a long border with Myanmar, where there has been a surge of coronavirus cases since August.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan authorities have ordered the closure all cinemas in a bid to contain an outbreak that has so far infected 1,791 people in the capital’s suburbs. The cluster in a garment factory in the densely populated Western province was discovered last week, and is the first in more than two months. Authorities also have tightened a curfew in parts of the country. More than 2,000 others were asked to quarantine at home. The majority of the infected are co-workers of the first patient. Schools and key public offices are also closed, public gatherings banned and restrictions imposed on public transport. Sri Lanka has reported a total of 5,170 confirmed cases with 13 deaths.

Germany

Chancellor Angela Merkel urges Germans to unite against the virus like they did in the spring, saying that what Christmas and the winter will look like depends on people’s actions now.

Europe’s economy was just catching its breath from the sharpest recession in modern history but a resurgence in coronavirus cases will likely lead to a lean winter of job losses and bankruptcies.

France

The streets of Paris and eight other French cities were deserted on Saturday night on the first day of the government-imposed 9 p.m. curfew that is to last at least four weeks.

The measure was announced this week by French President Emmanuel Macron to curb the resurgent coronavirus as new daily infections peaked last week to over 30,000. Macron said the curfews were needed to stop hospitals from becoming overrun.

Many restaurant owners are up in arms about the move that is forcing them to close early, something that they say will devastate the industry.

In France, nearly 20 million people are covered by the curfew and eerily deserted scenes were observed in Marseille, Lyon, Lille and Toulouse as well. The curfew runs until 6 a.m. daily.

Switzerland

Switzerland is introducing new restrictions across the country to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, which has been growing at a record pace in recent days.

At a special meeting Sunday, the government decided to broaden a mask mandate, saying “the rapid rise in coronavirus cases in the last few days is a cause for great concern.”

As of Monday, face and nose coverings will be required in all publicly accessible indoor areas, including all railway stations and airports, and at bus and tram stops. The rule also extends to schools, child-care facilities, shopping malls, libraries, places of worship and hotels, among other places.

Gatherings of more than 15 people are not permitted in public, and new regulations were put on private events of more than 15 people.

The number of new cases in the Alpine nation of 8.5 million people has been increasing rapidly recently, hitting a new daily record of 3,105 on Friday. Overall Switzerland has reported 74,422 infections and 1,823 deaths.

Russia

The coronavirus outbreak in Russia this month is breaking the records set in the spring lockdown. But, as governments across Europe move to reimpose restrictions to counter rising cases, authorities in Russia are resisting shutting down businesses again.

Some regions have closed nightclubs or limited the hours of bars and restaurants, but few measures have been implemented in Moscow, which is once again the epicenter of the surge.

Moscow – with less than 10% of the population – accounts for up to 30% of new infections each day. The health minister says 90% of hospital beds for coronavirus patients have been filled.

On Friday, Russian authorities reported over 15,000 new infections, the highest daily spike so far in the pandemic. Three times this week, Russia’s daily death toll exceeded the spring record of 232.

The spring lockdown hurt the country’s already weakened economy and compounded Russians’ frustration with plummeting incomes and living conditions, driving President Vladimir Putin’s approval rating to a historic low of 59%.