Canada continues to see an increase in the number of confirmed positive cases of COVID-19
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo says there are over 530,000 cases affecting all countries.
“In Canada there are 4,043 cases including 39 deaths. It is important to know that at any point in time there are many other people under investigation, awaiting laboratory tests or not being tested at all.”
Dr. Njoo says they’ve now tested over 165,000 people in Canada which is more than 65,000 additional people tested since Monday.
“On a per capita basis that’s more than 4,300 per million population, one of the highest rates in the world.”
Dr. Njoo adds “In terms of the severity of COVID-19 in Canada. The percentage of cases that require hospitalization remains at about 6%, those who are critically ill account for about 2.5% of cases and 1% of cases have been fatal.”
He stresses even if you aren’t hearing of cases in your community, it doesn’t mean there are no cases or that there are no exposures waiting to happen.
Dr. Njoo says it’s becoming more important to practice physical distancing, comply with quarantine and self-isolation orders and protect and support those who are most vulnerable.
He is recommending adopting a “bubble” idea being utilized with good results in New Zealand.
“The optimal protection comes when each person has their own separate bubble that has a two metre circumference around us. But for couples, families and other co-habitation situations. That bubble might mean 2, or 4 or 6 people, all keeping within a bubble that no one else comes into.”
Dr. Njoo stresses “Whatever your situation is. Stay in your bubble and please don’t step outside of it and don’t burst anyone else’s bubble.”
A reminder it’s now law to self-isolate for 14 days if you’ve been travelling outside of Canada.
