The spread of COVID-19 continues to surge rapidly across the country, with tens of thousands of new cases and thousands of additional deaths forecasted in the coming weeks.
New national modelling released on Friday shows that Canada is on track to see up to 796,630 total COVID-19 cases and 19,630 deaths by Jan. 24.
The short-term forecast shows a “continuation of rapid growth” and if Canadians continue to have the same amount of close contact with others, the epidemic will continue to resurge.
Unless the extent and severity of restrictions are further intensified, Canada will not be able to suppress the current rate of spread, warned Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam on Friday.
“We have yet to see the kind of widespread and sustained declines in daily case counts that would indicate we're bringing the pandemic under control nationally.”
There has been a steady increase in hospitalizations in provinces with high infection rates since October, with an average of more than 4,700 people being treated in hospital on any given day, with 875 in ICUs.
COVID-19 deaths are also “steadily rising,” and the daily death totals may soon exceed the levels seen during the first peak of the virus last spring. The daily case counts have already far exceeded the peak of the first wave.
Seniors continue to represent the highest percentage of COVID-19 deaths, though to date 70 deaths have been reported in adults 20 to 39 years of age.
While the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine rollout is positive news, offering initial additional protection for those on Canada’s front line and to the most vulnerable, Tam warned that it will still be months before most Canadians get access to shots and it’s essential that the health-care system has the capacity to administer them on a mass scale when the time comes.
That will be challenging if the virus continues to amplify and more Canadians are hospitalized.
-- with files from CTV News --