Canada could have up to 577,000 cases of COVID-19 and nearly 15,000 deaths by Christmas Day.
That is according to new federal projections released Friday by Canada’s top doctor.
“The resurgence of COVID-19 in Canada clearly shows that the current daily case count far exceeded the peak of the first wave … and there’s little indication this upward trajectory will change without further intensifying public health measures,” said Dr. Theresa Tam.
Tam, the country’s chief public health officer, said the continued rapid growth is being driven primarily by provinces outside of Atlantic Canada.
More than half of the country’s health regions are now reporting more than 100 cases per 100,000 population, with the highest rates being in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, she said.
“Community-level public health measures have been strengthened but we have yet to see the kind of sustained decline in daily case counts that would indicate we are bringing the pandemic under control,” said Tam.
Over the past week, Canada has averaged more than 6,500 new cases and nearly 100 deaths daily.
Tam said COVID-19 cases are highest and continue to escalate among adults 80 years and older, who are at high risk of severe outcomes, including death. She noted the country continues to see an increasing number of outbreaks in long-term care facilities.
The number of hospitalizations has also increased, she said, with an average of 2,900 people in hospital on any given day over the past week, including 565 people in an intensive care unit.
Tam said unless we all do our part to get the virus under control, the number of cases will continue to climb.
“We are forecast to have 12,000 daily cases by the beginning of January with increased hospitalizations and death following this rise unless significant reductions in contact rates are achieved,” said Tam.
She urged all Canadians to reduce their close contacts, maintain physical distancing, wash their hands and wear masks.
