Coronavirus cases increase across Canada while vaccine is still months away – National

Canada added 5,631 new coronavirus cases and 89 deaths on Thursday. It is the third highest daily increase in cases ever recorded in the country.

Canada has now reported 352,781 cases and 11,799 total deaths.

Today’s numbers come when it was revealed that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate could be approved in Canada by the end of the year.

“As things stand now, we expect some vaccines to become available in early 2021,” said Canada’s Deputy Director of Public Health Dr Howard Njoo.

“However, it is important to note that the initial supply of these vaccines will be limited … When a vaccine is ready, Canada will be ready.”

According to the federal government on Thursday, Canada is expected to earn six million doses of the vaccine in total in its first batch, to be distributed among provinces on a per capita basis.

Since two doses of a vaccine are needed per person, the amount could treat up to three million Canadians in total.

For now, however, the provinces are seeing an increase in cases across the country.

British Columbia set another one-day record Thursday with 887 new cases and 13 deaths. The province now has 7,899 active cases.

Nearly a third of the province’s 384 total deaths were reported in November alone, with 64 deaths occurring in the past week. 84% of deaths occur among people over the age of 70.

Meanwhile, Alberta has reported 1,077 new cases occurring in the past 24 hours. Currently 383 people are hospitalized due to the virus, of which 84 are in intensive care.

Ten deaths have also occurred in the past 24 hours in the province, nine of which have been linked to COVID-19 outbreaks in places such as long-term care homes. A total of 510 Albertans have now died from the virus.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced on Tuesday for the second time a state of health emergency due to the pandemic, which came with new restrictions on social gatherings and rules for masks in the workplace.

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Ontario reported 1,478 new cases Thursday and another 21 deaths.

The province has seen hospitalizations rise by more than 63 percent in the past four weeks, according to new provincial data, with those in intensive care expected to reach 200 next month. There are currently 556 people in the province’s hospitals linked to COVID-19.

In Quebec, 1,464 new cases were announced Thursday, setting a new daily infection record for the province. The province also reported 32 other deaths, eight of which occurred in the past 24 hours.

“If our number increases too much, we will not allow meetings,” Quebec Premier François Legault said. “[But] we don’t have a magic answer. “

The province has seen 136,894 total cases and 6,947 deaths so far, the highest in the country. Currently there are 675 hospitalizations, 90 of which in intensive care.

In the east, the once-acclaimed “Atlantic bubble” appeared to burst as cases increased in the eastern provinces.

New Brunswick reported 12 new cases Thursday to bring the total active cases to 105. The increase is fueled by young adults, the province’s health chief said.

The increase led New Brunswick to end its border agreement with neighboring provinces. Beginning at midnight, anyone traveling to New Brunswick from another province, including any province in the Atlantic, must self-isolate for 14 days unless exempted.

Nova Scotia announced 14 new cases, bringing the total active cases to 114. The province said no one is currently in hospital due to the virus.

PEI reported no new cases, while Newfoundland and Labrador reported three new cases.

In the prairies, Saskatchewan has reported 315 new cases, including 108 currently in hospital and 18 in intensive care.

The province also reported three more deaths, bringing the total to 40.

Manitoba reported 383 new cases and 10 new deaths, bringing the total deaths to 266.

The province currently has a record of 307 hospitalized from the virus, with 46 in intensive care.

Manitoba leads all other provinces in the per capita rate of new infections.

The Yukon has reported three new cases as no new cases have been announced in the rest of the territories.

There have been 60,856,294 coronavirus cases worldwide to date and 1,429,689 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

– With global staff files

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