The Holland America cruise ship Westerdam has no reported cases of coronavirus aboard it but the fear associated with the disease has caused four countries to refuse the ship permission to dock. After refusals by the Philippines, Taiwan Japan and Thailand, passengers were scheduled to disembark in Cambodia Thursday.

Death count spikes in virus heartland as new diagnosis applied

China on Thursday reported 254 new deaths and a spike in virus cases of 15,152, after the hardest-hit province of Hubei applied a new classification system that broadens the scope of diagnoses for the outbreak, which has spread to more than 20 countries.

The modernized 18th Century events of the US revolutionary war came to the Ed Mirvish Theatre on Victoria St. Wednesday night as the musical Hamilton debuted in Toronto. The story of Alexander Hamilton is told through hip hop, rap and jazz.

Keira Kagan

The funeral for Keira Kagan will be held Thursday at Benjamin Park Memorial Chapel in North York. Her family has said that the public may attend. The Thornhill girl, 4, died with her father in a fall at the Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area on the Niagara Escarpment. Funeral details

Among the tributes paid to Christie Blatchford Thursday is a story written by Cassandra Szklarski of the Canadian Press It begins: “Veteran court reporter, celebrated author and biting newspaper columnist Christie Blatchford, whose vivid prose championed cops, kids and soldiers while challenging corruption and hashtag social mores, has died.” CP

Illegal blockage paralyzes Via Rail main corridor

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he plans to speak with members of his cabinet Wednesday to discuss “next steps” in the ongoing anti-pipeline protests that have hamstrung the country’s rail network. The CBC quotes Mr. Trudeau as saying the train stoppage is “an issue that is of concern.” He commented during a news conference in Senegal Wednesday morning. “Obviously it’s extremely important to respect the right to freely demonstrate peacefully, but we need to make sure the laws are respected. That’s why I’m going to be engaging with our ministers and looking at what possible next steps there are. I am encouraging all parties to dialogue, to resolve this as quickly as possible.” Some may find the government’s plan a bit hesitant. Old army trucks and similar make-shift devices have illegally stalled trains for about a week.

Toronto Star writer Jack Lakey is raising an alarm about the use of whip cream cartridges containing nitrous oxide by misguided people to get high on the gas. Nitrous oxide is also used by dentists as an anesthetic and is commonly known as laughing gas. The Star publishes pictures of cartridge litters along Yonge St. in North York. Who knew?

Former Markham-Stouffville MP Dr. Jane Philpott will become the dean of the faculty of health sciences at Queen’s University. She is set to take on her new role on July 1. A longtime family physician before launching her political career, Phillpot tweeted that she “can hardly wait” to start her new job.

As Indigenous protesters oppose the construction of a pipeline in BC, Canada’s train system seems paralyzed. They continue to stop trains near Belleville, one of several locations where such blockades are occurring. Via Rail says trains are on hold until at least Thursday night. Freight and passenger service is also disrupted elsewhere. One concern is that Atlantic Canada will shortly run out of gasoline because oil cannot be shipped to a refinery in New Brunswick.

The National Post has confirmed to CTV that long-time Canadian journalist Christie Blatchford has died. According to the newspaper, Blatchford, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer that metastasized to bones in her spine, died in hospital this morning. She was 68.

• Christie was a big story reporter, a once-in-a-generation journalist
• Dead at 68: Christie Blatchford was a tenacious voice for victims, a thorn to the smug

Kiera seen holding her little brother/Viater family

Canadian Press says Tuesday that the grieving mom and stepdad of Keira Kagan, 4, will view her body Tuesday. The child was found alongside her father at the bottom of the Niagara Escarpment at Rattlesnake Park late Sunday. Philip Viater is quoted as telling CP he and his wife, Jennifer Kagan, will be going to the coroner’s office to say goodbye to Keira.

An odd up and down pattern will mark temperatures this week and next. A low of minus 10º Celsius Friday and a forecast of plus 7º by next Tuesday are predicted. Oh yes, tomorrow (Wednesday) will see snow — as much as 4 cm.