Experts say Thanksgiving celebrations, fewer restrictions and increased testing capacity may be among the factors contributing to Canada’s recent surge in record breaking COVID-19 cases.
Here in Ontario, the second hardest hit province in Canada, more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported for the first time on Sunday, setting another record for the number of infections in a single day.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said it’s likely that the recent increase is a result of Thanksgiving gatherings.
Quebec continues to be the epicentre of the pandemic in Canada.
It surpassed more than 100,000 confirmed positive cases in the province Sunday.
Canada’s top physician has warned that minimizing the impact of COVID-19 will only work if everyone follows public health guidelines.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam is imploring Canadians to help limit the spread of COVID-19 by keeping small social circles, maintaining physical distancing, washing your hands and wearing face masks when appropriate.
Tam has also warned that the number of Canadians experiencing severe illness is already on the rise, amid the spike in COVID-19 cases, raising concerns about hospital capacity.
1/3 #COVID19 key concerns in 🇨🇦: My Sunday statement provides a summary of national numbers and trends, and the actions we all need to be taking to maintain COVID-19 at manageable levels across the country. https://t.co/Q2tdKMcUNz
— Canada's CPHO (@CPHO_Canada) October 25, 2020