• Ottawa Public Health reported 40 new cases for a total of 27,179. There have been 574 deaths, up two. There are 560 active cases and 26,045 recoveries. There are in 29 hospital with four in intensive care. There are 25 outbreaks. So far, 615,856 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 55,989 are fully vaccinated.
  • Issues with the provincial booking system have been resolved and bookings for the COVID-19 vaccine have resumed, Ottawa Public Health says. Residents age 80 and up who do not have a second dose appointment booked will be contacted directly by Ottawa Public Health.
  • Ontario reported 870 new cases today. There have now been 533,761 cases. The province added 10 more deaths for a total of 8,801. There are 729 in hospital with 546 in intensive care, 317 on a ventilator. There are 225 new cases in Toronto, 167 in Peel and 49 in the Porcupine Health Unit region. There have been 514,999 cases resolved, up 1,563.
  • So far, there have been 9,493,005 vaccinations. There are 834,981 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 128,559 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 954 by the B1351 variant and 2,921 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 34,277 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,308,960. There are 15,700 test results pending.
  • There are 25 outbreaks in long term care residence with 43 resident cases, 74 in staff. So far, 3,951 residents have died.
  • Dr. Lawrence Loh, the medical officer of health for Peel Region in suburban Toronto, says that cases of B.1.617, the variant first identified in India, are “quickly replacing” B.1.117 as the most prevalent form of the virus in Peel. There are 97 known cases of B.1.617 in Peel Region; some acquired through community spread, and that modelling data shows an impending surge. “Preliminary data suggests that … within one month, the delta variant will be the dominant strain in our region, with the rest of Ontario weeks behind.”
  • Quebec is reporting 267 new cases for a total of 371,082. So far, there have been 356,582 recoveries. There has been six more deaths, raising the total to 11,144. There are 317 in hospital, 68 in intensive care. The province completed 29,054 tests on June 1. So far, 5,808,464 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 6,427,659 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been six new cases reported today for a total of 12,233. There have been 214 deaths. There are 168 active cases and 11,845 recoveries. There are 10 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. So far, 268,397 have been vaccinated with at least one dose in the Outaouais. The region is now in the “orange-alert” level of the province’s pandemic framework, which will allow, among other things, indoor dining to resume and gyms to reopen. 
  • Quebec is shortening wait times for second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines from 16 to eight weeks and allowing certain age groups to begin rescheduling their next shot. Those 80 and up can book new appointments June 7, 75 and up on June 8, 70 and up June 9, 65 and up June 10, 60 and up June 11, 55 and up June 14, 50 and up June 15, 45 and up June 16, 40 and up June 17, 35 and up June 18, 30 and up June 21, 25 and up June 22 and those 18 and up June 23. With the revamped vaccination campaign, approximately three million second doses could be rescheduled.
  • By Thursday, Quebec will have reached the target of 75 per cent of the population vaccinated with one dose three weeks early.
  • New data from the Institut national de santé publique (INSPQ) shows that Montreal and Laval, two of the cities in Quebec most affected by COVID-19 infections, have have some of the lowest vaccination rates, according to data from the Institut national de santé publique (INSPQ). In Montreal North, one of the poorest parts of Quebec, the vaccination rate is 43.8 per cent. The rate of COVID-19 contamination is 8,545 cases per 100,000 residents there, the second highest in Quebec. 
  • Manitoba reported 360 new cases and five deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday. 
  • In Canada, there have been 1,385,278+ cases with 25,612+ deaths and 1,330,389+ recoveries. There are 29,277 active cases.
  • The federal government is proposing to help businesses rebuild their work force through a new initiative called the Canada Recovery Hiring Program which would provide eligible employers with a subsidy of up to 50 per cent of incremental remuneration paid to eligible active employees between June 6 and Nov. 20.
  • Worldwide, there have been 171,746,400+ cases, 3,693,280+ deaths and 2,002,891,049+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

COVID-19 by the numbers

Note: The following graphics show cases reported by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Numbers may lag behind local reports.

Click here for more COVID-19 graphics

June 2

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 42 new cases for a total of 27,139. There have been 572 deaths, up two. There are 598 active cases and 25,969 recoveries. There are in 32 hospital with six in intensive care. There are 24 outbreaks. So far, 615,856 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 55,989 are fully vaccinated.
  • Ontario reported 733 new cases today. There have now been 532,891 cases. The province added 25 more deaths for a total of 8,791. There are 708 in hospital with 576 in intensive care, 345 on a ventilator. There are 207 new cases in Toronto, 144 in Peel, 52 in York Region and 50 in Durham. There have been 513,436 cases resolved, up 1,733.
  • So far, there have been 9,342,121 vaccinations. There are 781,163 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 127,645 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 952 by the B1351 variant and 2,911 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 31,768 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,274,683. There are 18,999 test results pending.
  • There are 28 outbreaks in long term care residence with 45 resident cases, 92 in staff. So far, 3,951 residents have died.
  • Ontario’s stay at home order ends today but the province remains under strict lockdown restrictions until the first phase of the reopening beginning in mid-June.
  • Premier Doug Ford ruled out a return to in-class learning today citing concerns about a possible spread of the COVID-19 variant of concern first identified in India. Ontario has seen 332 cases of infection by this variant, known as B1617. The premier did say graduation ceremonies could go ahead outdoors and properly distanced.
  • Quebec is reporting 288 new cases for a total of 370,815. So far, there have been 356,202 recoveries. There has been five more deaths, raising the total to 11,138. There are 340 in hospital, 77 in intensive care. The province completed 27,305 tests on May 31. So far, 5,719,839 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 6,427,659 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been eight new cases reported today for a total of 12,227. There have been 214 deaths. There are 184 active cases and 11,821 recoveries. There are nine in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. So far, 263,753 have been vaccinated with at least one dose in the Outaouais. Residents of Gatineau and the Outaouais are now allowed to leave the house after 9:30 p.m. or sit on a restaurant patio for dinner, as Quebec begins to relax the COVID-19 restrictions. The region is now in the “orange-alert” level of the province’s pandemic framework, which will allow, among other things, indoor dining to resume and gyms to reopen. 
  • Quebec is reporting a ninth person has experienced vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. The woman is recovering at home.
  • Manitoba marks 267 new COVID-19 cases, along with six more deaths. Alberta says it can take ICU patients from Manitoba, joining Ontario and Saskatchewan.
  • Saskatchewan recorded 130 new COVID-19 cases and one more death on Wednesday.
  • Alberta reported Wednesday 410 new cases of COVID-19 and four additional deaths.
  • B.C. health officials announced 194 new cases of COVID-19 and four more deaths on Wednesday.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,383,214+ cases with 25,566+ deaths and 1,326,484+ recoveries. There are 31,164 active cases.
  • A national vaccine injury compensation program was officially launched Tuesday, allowing Canadians who have experienced severe adverse reactions to an approved COVID-19 vaccine to apply for compensation. The Vaccine Injury Support program will provide financial support to those determined to have experienced a serious and permanent injury after receiving a Health Canada-authorized vaccine in Canada on or after Dec. 8, 2020.
  • Worldwide, there have been 171,269,117+ cases, 3,567,132+ deaths and 1,963,536,836+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

June 1

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 39 new cases for a total of 27,097. There have been 571 deaths, up one. There are 635 active cases and 25,891 recoveries. There are in 35 hospital with eight in intensive care. There are 28 outbreaks. So far, 601,801 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 53,532 are fully vaccinated.
  • Ontario reported 699 new cases today. There have now been 532,158 cases. The province added nine more deaths for a total of 8,766. There are 804 in hospital with 583 in intensive care, 335 on a ventilator. There are 207 new cases in Toronto, 144 in Peel, 52 in York Region and 50 in Durham. There have been 511,703 cases resolved, up 1,568.
  • So far, there have been 9,202,220 vaccinations. There are 739,722 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 126,707 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 949 by the B1351 variant and 2,867 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 20,262 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,242,915. There are 15,490 test results pending.
  • There are 29 outbreaks in long term care residence with 51 resident cases, 96 in staff. So far, 3,950 residents have died.
  • Quebec is reporting 208 new cases for a total of 370,527. So far, there have been 355,785 recoveries. There has been five more deaths, raising the total to 11,133. There are 354 in hospital, 86 in intensive care. The province completed 17,108 tests on May 30. So far, 5,648,992 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 6,376,347 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 18 new cases reported today for a total of 12,219. There have been 214 deaths. There are 184 active cases and 11,821 recoveries. There are nine in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. So far, 263,753 have been vaccinated with at least one dose in the Outaouais. Residents of Gatineau and the Outaouais are now allowed to leave the house after 9:30 p.m. or sit on a restaurant patio for dinner, as Quebec begins to relax the COVID-19 restrictions. The region is now in the “orange-alert” level of the province’s pandemic framework, which will allow, among other things, indoor dining to resume and gyms to reopen. 
  • There are six new cases of COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador on Tuesday.
  • New Brunswick has five new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday.Nova Scotia is reporting 12 new COVID-19 cases and 91 recoveries on Tuesday, as the active number of cases in the province drops to 369.Manitoba is reporting 232 new cases of COVID-19 and three deaths on Tuesday. The province says a total of 161 tickets were handed out during the week ending May 30, with the majority — 144 with a $1,296 fine — going to those caught at gatherings banned under current health orders.
  • Saskatchewan reported 86 new cases on Tuesday, along with one more death. 
  • In Alberta, people can now book appointments at barber shops, hair salons and other personal wellness services. Outdoor public gatherings will double to 10 people from five, and restaurants can resume patio service. Alberta reported Tuesday 209 new cases of COVID-19 on 4,100 tests and one additional death.
  • B.C. health officials announced 184 new cases of COVID-19 and zero deaths from the disease on Tuesday.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,381,582+ cases with 25,547+ deaths and 1,322,282+ recoveries. There are 33,753 active cases.
  • Canada is now advising Canadians to combine either the AstraZeneca-Oxford, Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna shots interchangeably in certain situations.
  • Worldwide, there have been 170,836,935+ cases, 3,552,277+ deaths and 1,928,347,028+ vaccine doses have been delivered.
  • Malaysia has begun a two-week national lockdown on Tuesday, with police checkpoints on road junctions around the capital Kuala Lumpur as authorities tackle a wave of COVID-19 infections that has hit record levels in recent weeks.
  • Peru has increased its official COVID-19 death toll to 180,764, following a government review.
  • Italians may eat and drink indoors at bars and restaurants for the first time in months, and that includes the morning ritual of having an espresso or cappuccino at a local cafe. 
  • The United Kingdom has reported more than 3,000 new COVID infections for a sixth day in a row. Prior to this, the U.K. had not surpassed that number since April 12. This is linked to the variant first identified in the India. This has prompted a concern that the country is in a third wave of infection and calls to put off the June 21 reopening plan.

May 31

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 39 new cases for a total of 27,058. There have been 570 deaths, up one. There are 676 active cases and 25,812 recoveries. There are in 36 hospital with 10 in intensive care. There are 26 outbreaks. So far, 601,801 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 53,532 are fully vaccinated.
  • Problems with the provincial booking system has caused the pausing of appointment bookings for the COVID-19 vaccine in Ottawa for the time being.
  • Ontario reported 916 new cases today. There have now been 531,459 cases. The province added 13 more deaths for a total of 8,757. There are 731 in hospital with 617 in intensive care, 329 on a ventilator. There are 226 new cases in Toronto, 165 in Peel, 85 in York Region, 67 in Durham and 52 in Hamilton. There have been 510,135 cases resolved, up 1,707.
  • So far, there have been 8,984,278 vaccinations. There are 687,894 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 125,945 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 948 by the B1351 variant and 2,822 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 18,226 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,222,653. There are 7,087 test results pending.
  • There are 29 outbreaks in long term care residence with 57 resident cases, 105 in staff. So far, 3,950 residents have died.
  • Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, will retire in June. He will be replaced by the top public health official for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health Unit, Dr. Kieran Moore. He starts his new role June 26.
  • Ontario has set up a system to tell how many long term care workers have been vaccinated. If the workers haven’t been vaccinated they have to attend an education program. Long term care homes need to provide the details on how many workers have had a jab.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 52 new cases for a total of 27,019. There have been 569 deaths, up two. There are 709 active cases and 25,741 recoveries. There are in 33 hospital with 10 in intensive care. There are 24 outbreaks. So far, 579,915 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 49,299 are fully vaccinated.
  • Quebec is reporting 276 new cases for a total of 370,319. So far, there have been 355,266 recoveries. There has been one more death, raising the total to 11,128. There are 362 in hospital, 89 in intensive care. The province completed 17,479 tests on May 29. So far,  5,583,075 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,877,419 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 16 new cases reported today for a total of 12,201. There have been 214 deaths. There are 179 active cases and 11,792 recoveries. There are 11 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. So far, 257,974 have been vaccinated with at least one dose in the Outaouais. Residents of Gatineau and the Outaouais are now allowed to leave the house after 9:30 p.m. or sit on a restaurant patio for dinner, as Quebec begins to relax the COVID-19 restrictions. On May 31, the region, which includes Gatineau, will join several other regions in Quebec in moving to the “orange-alert” level of the province’s pandemic framework, which will allow, among other things, indoor dining to resume and gyms to reopen. 
  • Some 550 fully vaccinated health care workers will be allowed to watch Game 7 between Montreal and Toronto inside the rink in Toronto.
  • There are two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador today. There are 101 active cases in the province; 63 cases associated with a cluster in the Central Health region.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 17 new COVID-19 cases and 74 recoveries on Monday, as the active number of cases in the province drops to 448.
  • New Brunswick is reporting 12 new cases of COVID-19 today.
  • Manitoba public health officials report 303 new COVID-19 cases and one death on Monday. The province announced today that people can take a different vaccine for their second shot. Media reports suggest that the National Advisory Committee on Immunization will make this recommendation in coming days.
  • The provincial government is reporting 113 new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan today along with one more death.
  • Alberta reported 263 new cases along with eight more deaths.
  • B.C. health officials reported 708 new cases of COVID-19 over three days, along with 11 deaths.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,380,163+ cases with 25,526+ deaths and 1,319,231+ recoveries. There are 34,582 active cases.
  • The NHL is preparing a proposal that, if approved, would allow teams in the playoffs to cross the Canada-U.S. border.
  • The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development says it now expects the Canadian economy to grow by 6.1 per cent this year. The prediction is up from an estimate for growth of 4.7 per cent that the OECD made in March. The OECD says growth in Canada for 2022 is forecasted at 3.8 per cent compared with a March estimate of four per cent. The OECD says global output would rise 5.8 per cent this year, up from its forecast of 4.8 per cent in December.
  • Canada is set to receive 2.9 million COVID-19 vaccine doses this week. This includes 2.4 million doses per week of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and 500,000 from Moderna.
  • Worldwide, there have been 170,418,988+ cases, 3,543,205+ deaths and 1,891,034,902+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 30

  • Ontario reported 1,033 new cases today. There have now been 530,543 cases. The province added 15 more deaths for a total of 8,744. There are 749 in hospital with 614 in intensive care, 417 on a ventilator. There are 237 new cases in Toronto, 214 in Peel and 80 in York Region. There have been 508,428 cases resolved, up 2,067.
  • So far, there have been 8,984,278 vaccinations. There are 687,894 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 125,035 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 947 by the B1351 variant and 2,814 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 26,565 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,204,427. There are 8,735 test results pending.
  • There are 29 outbreaks in long term care residence with 61 resident cases, 107 in staff. So far, 3,950 residents have died.
  • Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, will be retiring in June. He will be replaced by the top public health official for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health, Dr. Kieran Moore. He starts his new role June 26.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 52 new cases for a total of 27,019. There have been 569 deaths, up two. There are 709 active cases and 25,741 recoveries. There are in 33 hospital with 10 in intensive care. There are 24 outbreaks. So far, 579,915 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 49,299 are fully vaccinated.
  • Quebec is reporting 315 new cases for a total of 370,043. So far, there have been 354,734 recoveries. There have been two more deaths, raising the total to 11,127. There are 364 in hospital, 90 in intensive care. The province completed 22,839 tests on May 28. So far, 5,503,277 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,877,419 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 17 new cases reported today for a total of 12,185. There have been 214 deaths. There are 179 active cases and 11,792 recoveries. There are 11 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. So far, 257,974 have been vaccinated with at least one dose in the Outaouais. Residents of Gatineau and the Outaouais are now allowed to leave the house after 9:30 p.m. or sit on a restaurant patio for dinner, as Quebec begins to relax the COVID-19 restrictions. On May 31, the region, which includes Gatineau, will join several other regions in Quebec in moving to the “orange-alert” level of the province’s pandemic framework, which will allow, among other things, indoor dining to resume and gyms to reopen. 
  • In Canada, there have been 1,378,971+ cases with 25,512+ deaths and 1,317,524+ recoveries. There are 35,935 active cases.
  • Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau says Canada supports the move by U.S. President Joe Biden to order American intelligence agencies to further investigate the origins of COVID-19.
  • Worldwide, there have been 170,169,065+ cases, 3,537,779+ deaths and 1,864,766,956+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 29

  • Ontario reported 1,057 new cases today. There have now been 529,510 cases. The province added 15 more deaths for a total of 8,726. There are 934 in hospital with 626 in intensive care, 438 on a ventilator. There are 228 new cases in Toronto, 178 in Peel, 82 in York Region and 71 in Hamilton. There have been 506,361 cases resolved, up 2,057.
  • So far, there have been 8,839,445 vaccinations. There are 659,139 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 124,172 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 945 by the B1351 variant and 2,794 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 33,559 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,177,862. There are 14,678 test results pending.
  • There are 29 outbreaks in long term care residence with 61 resident cases, 107 in staff. So far, 3,949 residents have died.
  • The Ontario government has extended its ban on interprovincial travel until June 16 as part of its emergency measures implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 61 new cases for a total of 26,967. There have been 567 deaths, up one. There are 731 active cases and 25,669 recoveries. There are in 38 hospital with 11 in intensive care. There are 25 outbreaks. So far, 579,915 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 49,299 are fully vaccinated.
  • Quebec is reporting 410 new cases for a total of 369,728. So far, there have been 354,104 recoveries. There have been seven more deaths raising the total to 11,125. There are 373 in hospital, 91 in intensive care. The province completed 23,666 tests on May 27. So far, 5,405,885 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,877,419 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 34 new cases reported today for a total of 12,168. There have been 214 deaths. There are 203 active cases and 11,751 recoveries. There are 11 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. So far, 252,482 have been vaccinated with at least one dose in the Outaouais. Residents of Gatineau and the Outaouais are now allowed to leave the house after 9:30 p.m. or sit on a restaurant patio for dinner, as Quebec begins to relax the COVID-19 restrictions. On May 31, the region, which includes Gatineau, will join several other regions in Quebec in moving to the “orange-alert” level of the province’s pandemic framework, which will allow, among other things, indoor dining to resume and gyms to reopen. 
  • In Canada, there have been 1,376,734+ cases with 25,478+ deaths and 1,313,448+ recoveries. There are 37,808 active cases.
  • Health Canada will allow the expiry date for some batches of the AstraZeneca vaccine to be extended by one month, a spokesperson says. Doses with an original expiry date of May 31 can now be used until July 1.
  • Worldwide, there have been 169,763,203+ cases, 3,529,355+ deaths and 1,836,894,965+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 28

  • Ontario reported 1,273 new cases today. There have now been 528,453 cases. The province added 14 more deaths for a total of 8,711. There are 1,023 in hospital with 645 in intensive care, 458 on a ventilator. There are 269 new cases in Toronto, 268 in Peel, 101 in Ottawa, 78 in Hamilton and 72 in Durham. There have been 504,304 cases resolved, up 2,362.
  • So far, there have been 8,530,698 vaccinations. There are 594,854 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 123,186 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 914 by the B1351 variant and 2,616 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 40,866 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,144,303. There are 16,002 test results pending.
  • There are 35 outbreaks in long term care residence with 61 resident cases, 116 in staff. So far, 3,951 residents have died.
  • Ontario is speeding up eligibility for second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and officials now expect the majority of those who want a vaccine will be fully immunized by the end of summer. Those aged 80 and older will be the first group able to book an accelerated appointment for a second shot starting the week of May 31. It will then expand to those 70 and above in mid-June. The the province will shift to a “first-in, first-out” strategy, in which Ontarians will be able to book an appointment for their second dose depending on when they had a first.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 107 new cases for a total of 26,906. There have been 566 deaths, up three. There are 752 active cases and 25,588 recoveries. There are in 49 hospital with 10 in intensive care. There are 26 outbreaks. So far, 579,915 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 49,299 are fully vaccinated.
  • Quebec is reporting 419 new cases for a total of 369,318. So far, there have been 353,442 recoveries. There have been four more deaths raising the total to 11,118. There are 385 in hospital, 91 in intensive care. The province completed 30,328 tests on May 26. So far, 5,306,336 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,877,419 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 28 new cases reported today for a total of 12,134. There have been 214 deaths. There are 215 active cases and 11,677 recoveries. There are 12 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. So far, 249,049 have been vaccinated with at least one dose in the Outaouais. Residents of Gatineau and the Outaouais are now allowed to leave the house after 9:30 p.m. or sit on a restaurant patio for dinner, as Quebec begins to relax the COVID-19 restrictions. On May 31, the region, which includes Gatineau, will join several other regions in Quebec in moving to the “orange-alert” level of the province’s pandemic framework, which will allow, among other things, indoor dining to resume and gyms to reopen. 
  • Six walk-in clinics will open in the Outaouais to help people who received a first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine get their second dose.
  • Nova Scotia health officials announced the province’s COVID-19 reopening plan on Friday, which involves a five-phase process that begins June 2 with the reopening of some businesses, outdoor visits at long-term care facilities and increased outdoor gathering limits. Nova Scotia reported one more death and 40 new cases Friday.
  • Health officials in Manitoba reported 497 new infections and no new deaths connected to the virus Friday. Winnipeg police have issued arrest warrants for several anti-mask protesters including Ontario’s Chris “Sky” Saccoccia, who have been accused of threatening the life of Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
  • Based on data provided by the provinces and territories up to May 25, only 0.15 per cent of vaccinated Canadians became infected by the virus 14 days or more after their first dose.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,372,765+ cases with 25,429+ deaths and 1,305,920+ recoveries. There are 42,104 active cases.
  • The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has updated its COVID-19 vaccine guidance again, now saying, because of available supply, that second shots should be offered “as soon as possible” instead of waiting up to four months. NACI also said Friday that after reviewing additional evidence, safety information, and real-world data, it concluded that a full two-dose mRNA vaccine series should be what is offered to people who are immunosuppressed, have an autoimmune condition, are pregnant or are breastfeeding.
  • Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, says strict public health measures and vaccinations have pushed the national COVID-19 case count to its lowest level in weeks. The distribution of 25 million vaccine doses has resulted in a “strong and steady decline” in cases, with totals less than half of what they were during the peak of the third wave in mid-April. About 62 per cent of all adults have now had at least one dose of a vaccine.
  • Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand says Moderna has confirmed two million more doses will arrive in Canada over the next two weeks. Anand said 500,000 doses will be delivered over the week of May 31, with 1.5 million more to follow sometime before June 14.
  • British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will attend the G7 Leaders’ Summit in person next month. A readout of a phone conversation Friday between Johnson and Trudeau says the leaders look forward to seeing one another in person in Cornwall, U.K., in two weeks. Will the prime minister quarantine in a hotel upon his return? To be determined.
  • Worldwide, there have been 169,071,044+ cases, 3,513,320+ deaths and 1,800,307,396+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 27

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 45 new cases for a total of 26,906. There have been 563 deaths, up three. There are 743 active cases and 25,493 recoveries. There are in 49 hospital with 12 in intensive care. There are 26 outbreaks. So far, 562,144 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 44,776 are fully vaccinated.
  • Ontario reported 1,135 new cases today. There have now been 527,180 cases. The province added 19 more deaths for a total of 8,697. There are 1,072 in hospital with 650 in intensive care, 404 on a ventilator. There are 316 new cases in Toronto, 271 in Peel and 75 in York Region. There have been 501,942 cases resolved, up 2,302.
  • So far, there have been 8,530,698 vaccinations. There are 594,854 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 122,349 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 840 by the B1351 variant and 2,544 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 37,705 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,103,437. There are 23,068 test results pending.
  • There are 37 outbreaks in long term care residence with 61 resident cases, 119 in staff. So far, 3,951 residents have died.
  • A fully vaccinated long-term care resident and two staff members have tested positive for the virus in the fourth outbreak at the Fairhaven facility in Peterborough since the start of the pandemic.
  • Premier Doug Ford has written letter to 55 different medical experts, children’s hospitals and health organizations soliciting advice on how Ontario could reopen schools safely before the end of the academic year next month. He asked them to reply by 5 p.m. Friday. 
  • Quebec is reporting 436 new cases for a total of 368,899. So far, there have been 352,807 recoveries. There have been 10 more deaths raising the total to 11,115. There are 394 in hospital, 96 in intensive care. The province completed 30,015 tests on May 25. So far, 5,202,132 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,877,419 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 29 new cases reported today for a total of 12,099. There have been 214 deaths. There are 205 active cases and 11,658 recoveries. There are 12 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. So far, 245,506 have been vaccinated with at least one dose in the Outaouais. On May 31, the region, which includes Gatineau, will join several other regions in Quebec in moving to the “orange-alert” level of the province’s pandemic framework, which will allow, among other things, indoor dining to resume and gyms to reopen. 
  • Quebecers who have received a shot of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine will be able to get their second dose as early as eight weeks after the first instead of waiting the full 12 weeks.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 33 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, as the active number of cases in the province drops to 638.
  • New Brunswick announced nine new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. The province also said all restrictions could be lifted by Aug. 2, New Brunswick Day, if 75 per cent of the eligible population aged 12 and over have been fully vaccinated by then and COVID-related hospitalizations remain low.
  • P.E.I. is hoping to see its borders opened to the other Atlantic provinces on June 27, the second step in a five-stage plan for reopening the province presented at the weekly COVID-19 briefing on Thursday.
  • Manitoba announced 297 new cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths related to the virus today.
  • Saskatchewan reported six deaths due to COVID-19 on Thursday, along with 118 new cases.
  • Alberta has identified 513 new cases of COVID-19, along with one more death.
  • British Columbia reported 378 new cases and seven more deaths. 
  • In Canada, there have been 1,369,677+ cases with 25,390+ deaths and 1,300,262+ recoveries. There are 44,785 active cases.
  • The federal government should end its policy of mandatory three-day quarantine stays in designated facilities for air travellers returning to Canada in favour of letting people come up with their own quarantine plans, says a new report by the federal government’s COVID-19 Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel.
  • Deputy Chief Public Health officer Dr. Howard Njoo says Canada now has 27 confirmed cases of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia and another 14 cases are under investigation. There have been five deaths.
  • Worldwide, there have been 168,754,707+ cases, 3,506,459+ deaths and 1,772,266,344+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 26

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 63 new cases for a total of 26,754. There have been 560 deaths, up three. There are 796 active cases and 25,397 recoveries. There are in 51 hospital with 13 in intensive care. There are 24 outbreaks. So far, 562,144 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 44,776 are fully vaccinated.
  • Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches are urging the province to reopen schools, citing the slowing spread of COVID-19 in the city.
  • Ontario reported 1,095 new cases today. There have now been 526,045 cases. The province added 23 more deaths for a total of 8,678. There are 1,073 in hospital with 672 in intensive care, 469 on a ventilator. There are 257 new cases in Toronto, 215 in Peel, 123 in Durham and 101 in York Region. There have been 499,640 cases resolved, up 2,371.
  • So far, there have been 8,386,950 vaccinations. There are 569,317 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 121,122 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 836 by the B1351 variant and 2,505 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 24,008 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,065,732. There are 18,518 test results pending.
  • There are 33 outbreaks in long term care residence with 49 resident cases, 95 in staff. So far, 3,950 residents have died.
  • Quebec is reporting 308 new cases for a total of 368,463. So far, there have been 352,230 recoveries. There have been four more deaths raising the total to 11,105. There are 399 in hospital, 101 in intensive care. The province completed 22,857 tests on May 24. So far, 5,111,646 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,829,449 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 16 new cases reported today for a total of 12,070. There have been 211 deaths. There are 233 active cases and 11,636 recoveries. There are 16 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. So far, 242,075 have been vaccinated in the Outaouais. On May 31, the region, which includes Gatineau, will join several other regions in Quebec in moving to the less strict “orange-alert” level of the province’s pandemic framework, which will allow, among other things, indoor dining to resume and gyms to reopen. 
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting four new cases today. The province has also reported that the B1617 variant of concern first identified in India is behind the recent surge of cases in the province.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 37 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, as the active number of cases in the province is now 787.
  • There are 10 new cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick on Wednesday.
  • As Manitoba struggles with a third wave surge of COVID-19 cases, patients are being transferred from overwhelmed hospitals to Saskatchewan as well as to Ontario. So far some 18 patients have been sent out of province. One patient died today during the transfer to Ontario. Manitoba announced 312 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
  • Saskatchewan health officials reported 151 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and one death. Premier Scott Moe urged vaccine hesitaters to get a shot. “If you really want all your freedoms back, go get in line and get vaccinated, it’s really not that big of deal,” Moe said. “We’re not asking you to storm the beaches of Normandy. All we’re asking you to do is to go in and to get a tiny needle in your arm.”
  • The Alberta government has unveiled its three-stage “open for summer” plan, a strategy tied directly to vaccination and hospitalization numbers that could see all public-health restrictions lifted by July. The province will enter Stage 1 on June 1 and is expected to be fully open by the beginning of July or earlier. Alberta identified 390 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, along with six more deaths. 
  • B.C. health officials announced 250 new cases of COVID-19 and three more deaths on Wednesday.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,366,611+ cases with 25,347+ deaths and 1,294,697+ recoveries. There are 47,866 active cases.
  • Auditor General Karen Hogan reviewed Canada’s National Emergency Strategic Stockpile and efforts to purchase personal protective equipment and found Canada was ill-prepared to respond to the pandemic. Hogan found the stockpile had weak or non-existent systems for tracking inventory and expiry dates and made decisions on what to buy based on its budget, not on what might be needed. She said when doing the audit they couldn’t determine what was actually available when COVID hit, because the inventory was so weak.
  • Hogan also said that Indigenous Services Canada should work with remote and isolated First Nations to address a nursing shortage and review the management of its personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpile.
  • The results of a new survey by the Angus Reid Institute show that more than three-quarters of Canadians surveyed say that they would support mandatory vaccination proof for both travel to the United States (76 per cent) and for international travel outside Canada’s southern border (79 per cent). In each case one-in-five disagree.
  • Safety is the most common reason Canadians cite to explain their vaccine hesitancy on Twitter, a new study suggests.
  • Worldwide, there have been 167,930,620+ cases, 3,487,908+ deaths and 1,735,463,588+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 25

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 48 new cases for a total of 26,691. There have been 558 deaths, up two. There are 855 active cases and 25,278 recoveries. There are in 51 hospital with 12 in intensive care. There are 23 outbreaks. So far, 547,738 have received at least one dose. Of that total, 42,568 are fully vaccinated.
  • Ontario reported 1,039 new cases today (and 1,446 on Monday). There have now been 524,950 cases so far. The province added 41 more deaths for a total of 8,655. There are 1,025 in hospital with 692 in intensive care, 498 on a ventilator. There are 325 new cases in Toronto, 231 in Peel and 77 in York Region. There have been 497,269 cases resolved, up 4,090 over the past two days.
  • So far, there have been 8,251,642 vaccinations. There are 544,288 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 120,130 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 817 by the B1351 variant and 2,462 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 16,857 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,041,724. There are 7,450 test results pending.
  • There are 35 outbreaks in long term care residence with 51 resident cases, 102 in staff. So far, 3,947 residents have died.
  • A man in his 40s has become the first to die in the province from a vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) after receiving a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the end of April. He died a few weeks later.
  • Quebec is reporting 346 new cases for a total of 368,155. So far, there have been 351,689 recoveries. There have been six more deaths raising the total to 11,101. There are 415 in hospital, 101 in intensive care. The province completed 16,942 tests on May 23. So far, 5,051,681 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,829,449 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 19 new cases reported today for a total of 12,054. There have been 211 deaths. There are 238 active cases and 11,605 recoveries. There are 26 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. So far, 239,188 have been vaccinated in the Outaouais. The region, which includes Gatineau, will join several other regions in Quebec in moving to the less strict “orange-alert” level of the province’s pandemic framework on May 31, which will allow indoor dining to resume and gyms to reopen. 
  • Teens in Quebec, 12 to 17, can now receive a vaccine at family drive-through sites in Montreal, and will be able to book appointments at clinics this week.
  • Quebecers should soon be able to move up their appointments online for their second COVID-19 dose to an earlier date as the province’s vaccination rollout has exceeded the government’s own expectations, the Montreal Gazette has learned. Quebec is poised to vaccinate at least 80 per cent of the adult population with one dose by June 24. The provincial online system should be ready to accept changes to appointments by early June. The province has now vaccinated more than 55 per cent of eligible Quebecers.
  • Nunavut is reporting one new case today.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, each connected to a growing cluster in central Newfoundland.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 54 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, as the active number of cases in the province drops to 846.
  • New Brunswick Public Health reported nine new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday.
  • Manitoba health officials reported 259 new COVID-19 cases and two additional deaths connected to the virus Tuesday. The province’s hospitals are sending patients to intensive care in Ontario hospitals, including to Ottawa.
  • Saskatchewan reported 111 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.
  • Alberta reported 387 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday along with nine more deaths. Premier Jason Kenney is to announce a reopening plan Wednesday.
  • British Columbia has outlined a four stage reopening plan that is intended to return the province to something approaching normal in the fall. The province reported 289 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday along with one more death.
  • Alberta has had the most miserable time among provinces handling COVID-19, followed closely by Ontario and Quebec, according to the Misery Index, created by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, which assesses pandemic responses across a broad range of metrics, including deaths per 100,000 people, excess mortality, vaccination rates, lockdown stringency, GDP losses and the assumption of public debts, among other things.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,364,396+ cases with 25,312+ deaths and 1,289,263+ recoveries. There are 49,821 active cases.
  • The federal government is sending health workers and other supports to Manitoba, which is currently grappling with high positivity rates and overburdened intensive care units. The federal government will also provide medical staff through the Canadian Red Cross as well as military help, adding it was also prepared to deploy epidemiologists, lab technicians and other supports to respond to the province’s needs.
  • Worldwide, there have been 167,405,137+ cases, 3,475,710+ deaths and 1,703,290,128+ vaccine doses have been delivered.
  • The United States says now that half of American adults are fully vaccinated.
  • Moderna says its vaccine is efficacious for children 12 and up. It has applied for emergency use in this age group in the U.S.

May 24

  • Ontario did not report new cases today because of the holiday. The province has seen 522,465 cases so far along with 8,614 deaths and 493,179 recoveries.
  • So far, there have been 8,065,607 vaccinations. There are 531,603 fully vaccinated.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 43 new cases for a total of 26,643. There have been 556 deaths, up two. There are 903 active cases and 25,184 recoveries. There are in 51 hospital with 15 in intensive care. There are 24 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 433 new cases for a total of 367,809. So far, there have been 351 002 recoveries. There have been 11 more deaths raising the total to 11,095. There are 424 in hospital, 102 in intensive care. The province completed 17,049 tests on May 22. So far, 4,997,234 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,829,449 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 19 new cases reported today for a total of 12,054. There have been 211 deaths. There are 238 active cases and 11,605 recoveries. There are 26 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. The Outaouais, including Gatineau, has emerged from a 45-day lockdown, with the curfew moving back to 9:30 p.m. students returning to in-class learning and non-essential businesses and personal and aesthetic care services reopening.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador expanded public health restrictions in central Newfoundland Monday, as an outbreak that now involves community spread threatens a wider area. Five new cases were reported Monday. There are also 11 presumptive positive cases, and one probable case. There are now 33 confirmed cases associated with the central Newfoundland cluster with several more awaiting results.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,354,289+ cases with 25,180+ deaths and 1,271,447+ recoveries. There are 57,970 active cases.
  • A Montana First Nation has stopped holding COVID-19 vaccination clinics at the Canada-United States border in southwestern Alberta because it has been deemed non-=essential travel after originally being OK’d.
  • Worldwide, there have been 167,089,543+ cases, 3,468,733+ deaths and 1,678,049,355+ vaccine doses have been delivered.
  • The White House is not ruling out the possibility that a leak from a Chinese lab might have sparked the COVID-19 pandemic. New reporting is indicating that there were three members of the lab hospitalized in the days before the first cases of the pandemic emerged.
  • More than 75 per cent of all COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in just 10 countries, including Canada, the WHO head says.

May 23

  • Ontario reported 1,691 new cases today. There have been 522,465 cases so far. The province added 15 more deaths for a total of 8,614. There are 1,041 in hospital with 693 in intensive care, 430 on a ventilator. There are 455 new cases in Toronto, 326 in Peel and 173 in York Region. There have been 493,179 cases resolved, up 2,458.
  • So far, there have been 8,065,607 vaccinations. There are 531,603 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 117,941 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 805 by the B1351 variant and 2,405 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 31,227 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 15,004,716. There are 9,513 test results pending.
  • There are 34 outbreaks in long term care residence with 48 resident cases, 97 in staff. So far, 3,947 residents have died.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 97 new cases for a total of 26,600. There have been 554 deaths, up seven. There are 939 active cases and 25,107 recoveries. There are in 54 hospital with 13 in intensive care. There are 24 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 477 new cases for a total of 367,376. So far, there have been 350,270 recoveries. There have been three more deaths raising the total to 11,084. There are 421 in hospital, 103 in intensive care. The province completed 24,095 tests on May 21. So far, 4,929,054 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,829,449 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 13 new cases reported today for a total of 12,035. There have been 211 deaths. There are 245 active cases and 11,579 recoveries. There are 26 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. The Outaouais, including Gatineau, has emerged from a 45-day lockdown, with the curfew moving back to 9:30 p.m. students returning to in-class learning and non-essential businesses and personal and aesthetic care services reopening.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,354,289+ cases with 25,180+ deaths and 1,271,447+ recoveries. There are 57,970 active cases.
  • Worldwide, there have been 166,806,064+ cases, 3,456,189+ deaths and 1,651,434,848+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 22

  • Ontario reported 1,794 new cases today. There have been 520,774 cases so far. The province added 20 more deaths for a total of 8,599. There are 1,207 in hospital with 706 in intensive care, 504 on a ventilator. There are 416 new cases in Toronto, 355 in Peel, 147 in Durham and 140 in York Region. There have been 490,721 cases resolved, up 2,520.
  • So far, there have been 7,925,277 vaccinations. There are 519,981 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 116,921 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 783 by the B1351 variant and 2,317 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 34,576 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,973,489. There are 18,338 test results pending.
  • There are 34 outbreaks in long term care residence with 48 resident cases, 97 in staff. So far, 3,947 residents have died.
  • Ontarians are enjoying rounds of golf tennis matches and splashpads today as the province has reopened outdoor activities with proper physical distancing of course.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 78 new cases for a total of 26,503. There have been 547 deaths, up two. There are 935 active cases and 25,021 recoveries. There are in 58 hospital with 14 in intensive care. There are 24 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 505 new cases for a total of 366,899. So far, there have been 349,498 recoveries. There have been seven more deaths raising the total to 11,081. There are 424 in hospital, 103 in intensive care. The province completed 28,608 tests on May 20. So far, 4,843,635 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,828,149 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 22 new cases reported today for a total of 12,022. There have been 211 deaths. There are 258 active cases and 11,533 recoveries. There are 26 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. The Outaouais, including Gatineau, has emerged from a 45-day lockdown, with the curfew moving back to 9:30 p.m. students returning to in-class learning and non-essential businesses and personal and aesthetic care services reopening.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,352,121+ cases with 25,162+ deaths and 1,268,989+ recoveries. There are 57,970 active cases.
  • More than 50 per cent of Canadians have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Data compiled from provincial and territorial health authorities shows that more than 20.6 million doses have been injected across the country, with 50.01 per cent of the population getting at least one jab as of today.
  • The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says that people should receive the same brand for their second dose of vaccine. If not possible, NACI suggests taking Johnson & Johnson in place of Oxford-AstraZeneca and taking Moderna in place of Pfizer-BioNTech or vice-versa.
  • Worldwide, there have been 166,289,153+ cases, 3,446,101+ deaths and 1,630,285,571+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 21

  • Ontario reported 1,890 new cases today. There have been 518,980 cases so far. The province added 27 more deaths for a total of 8,579. There are 1,265 in hospital with 715 in intensive care, 510 on a ventilator. There are 469 new cases in Toronto, 468 in Peel, 165 in York Region, 111 in Hamilton and 107 in Durham. There have been 488,201 cases resolved, up 2,689.
  • So far, there have been 7,735,148 vaccinations. There are 495,757 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 115,799 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 691 by the B1351 variant and 2,142 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 37,126 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,938,913. There are 19,891 test results pending.
  • There are 34 outbreaks in long term care residence with 53 resident cases, 101 in staff. So far, 3,945 residents have died.
  • Ontario will allow second dose vaccinations with the AstraZeneca vaccine. Those who were insulated in the week of March 10 can apply for a second dose appointment next week. The province is recommending a 10-week interval between doses. The province now has about 55,000 doses of the vaccine that will expire at the end of May. The province will need about 750,000 more doses of the vaccine to cover the almost one million people who have received a first AstraZeneca shot. The province is continuing its pause on first doses of the vaccine because of the risk of a dangerous rare blood clot.
  • The province says the risk of a blood clot after the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine is about one in 600,000.
  • Hospitals in Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie have received five Manitobans in their ICUs. Meanwhile, hospitals in Sudbury, North Bay and Kenora are also preparing to receive patients from Manitoba in their intensive care units. Up to 20 people could be coming to these units. Meanwhile Manitoba has issued an urgent plea for health from the federal government. The province has asked for 50 nurses and 20 respiratory technicians. Manitoba public health officials announced 594 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths on Friday.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 68 new cases for a total of 26,425. There have been 545 deaths, up six. There are 971 active cases and 24,909 recoveries. There are in 58 hospital with 15 in intensive care. There are 24 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 752 new cases for a total of 366,394. So far, there have been 348,694 recoveries. There have been nine more deaths raising the total to 11,075. There are 437 in hospital, 106 in intensive care. The province completed 33,373 tests on May 19. So far, 4,747,192 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,595,489 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 71 new cases reported today for a total of 12,000. There have been 209 deaths. There are 225 active cases and 11,495 recoveries. There are 27 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. The Outaouais, including Gatineau, has emerged from a 45-day lockdown, with the curfew moving back to 9:30 p.m. students returning to in-class learning and non-essential businesses and personal and aesthetic care services reopening.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting two COVID-19 related deaths Friday along with 84 new cases.
  • A second New Brunswicker in their 50s has died from a blood clot disorder associated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The province reported 15 new cases today.
  • P.E.I. is allowing high school graduation ceremonies and proms to be planned.
  • Saskatchewan has announced two more deaths on Friday and 173 new cases.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,349,335+ cases with 25,138+ deaths and 1,265,055+ recoveries. There are 59,142 active cases.
  • Canadians can potentially receive their second dose of vaccine sooner than expected as millions more doses continue to be delivered across the country, according to deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo. However Brig.-Gen. Krista Brodie says that the country is expected to receive up to 10 million fewer doses than expected in June.
  • Worldwide, there have been 165,633,509+ cases, 3,432,623+ deaths and 1,595,265,810+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 20

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 89 new cases for a total of 26,356. There have been 539 deaths. There are 1,005 active cases and 24,813 recoveries. There are in 58 hospital with 17 in intensive care. There are 23 outbreaks.
  • Ontario reported 2,400 new cases today. There have been 517,090 cases so far. The province added 27 more deaths for a total of 8,552. There are 1,320 in hospital with 721 in intensive care, 493 on a ventilator. There are 607 new cases in Toronto, 528 in Peel, 224 in Hamilton, 181 in York Region and 110 in Durham. There have been 485,512 cases resolved, up 2,763.
  • So far, there have been 7,576,624 vaccinations. There are 473,759 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 114,569 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 684 by the B1351 variant and 2,089 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 45,406 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,901,787. There are 20,642 test results pending.
  • There are 37 outbreaks in long term care residence with 52 resident cases, 101 in staff. So far, 3,944 residents have died.
  • Ontario is now allowing second dose vaccinations of AstraZeneca starting May 25. The province is recommending a 10 week interval between first and second doses. The province has about 55,000 doses of the vaccine that will expire at the end of the month.
  • The scientists did warn of a possible fourth wave of the virus if people let down their guard and starting mixing with people and if a new variant of concern starts to spread rapidly.
  • The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) says any new approach “should be based on evidence and clear metrics and driven by the continued need to ensure that any ongoing transmission is limited. ICU occupancy remains high, and variants of concern pose significant risk.” a letter from the OHA to the premier said. “Maintaining high testing rates and quickly identifying contacts to prevent outbreaks will remain crucial.” The OHA recommended says golf courses, tennis courts and playgrounds should open first, before easing restrictions on activities like outdoor dining. The OHA also called for travel restrictions to remain in place, with an eye on allowing for more domestic travel first. It also says and vaccination targets should be in place for specific high-risk communities. Schools should be the “first to open and the last to close, supported by a scientific and evidence-based approach to policy decisions.”
  • Quebec is reporting 662 new cases for a total of 365,642. So far, there have been 347,942 recoveries. There have been eight more deaths raising the total to 11,066. There are 460 in hospital, 107 in intensive care. The province completed 33,545 tests on May 18. So far, 4,636,679 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,184,819 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 21 new cases reported today for a total of 11,929. There have been 209 deaths. There are 227 active cases and 11,473 recoveries. There are 25 in hospital. There are no patients in intensive care. The Outaouais, including Gatineau, has emerged from a 45-day lockdown, with the curfew moving back to 9:30 p.m. students returning to in-class learning and non-essential businesses and personal and aesthetic care services reopening.
  • Starting May 25, the province will ramp up vaccinations for teenagers 12 to 17 at drive-in clinics community clinics and at schools. The province is aiming to give students a second vaccination before school begins in the fall.
  • Nova Scotia reported 65 new cases today.
  • There are seven new cases in New Brunswick and four in Newfoundland and Labrador.
  • Manitobans will face tighter restrictions as COVID-19 cases continue to climb, Premier Brian Pallister announced Thursday morning. The announcement came the same day as Manitoba reported a single-day record of 603 new cases of COVID-19 and three deaths linked to the illness Thursday.
  • Saskatchewan reported 146 new cases today.
  • In Canada, there have been 1,346,276+ cases with 25,101+ deaths and 1,259,879+ recoveries. There are 61,293 active cases.
  • Brig.-Gen. Krista Brodie gave her first media briefing since taking over the vaccine rollout from Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin who stepped aside because off an allegation of sexual harassment.
  • The Canada-U.S. border will remain closed until June 21. This also applies to other restrictions on travellers coming into Canada such as flights from India and Pakistan.
  • The federal government is funding a study to examine the efficacy of mixing vaccines.
  • Worldwide, there have been 165,015,132+ cases, 3,420,173+ deaths and 1,559,658,774+ vaccine doses have been delivered.
  • The head of BioNTech says that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines is more that 70 per cent effective against the B1617 variant first discovered in India.

May 19

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 107 new cases for a total of 26,161. There have been 538 deaths, up two. There are 1,005 active cases and 24,616 recoveries. There are in 58 hospital with 18 in intensive care. There are 21 outbreaks.
  • Ontario reported 1,588 new cases today. There have been 514,690 cases so far. The province added 19 more deaths for a total of 8,525. There are 1,401 in hospital with 735 in intensive care, 539 on a ventilator. There are 524 new cases in Toronto, 335 in Peel and 94 in York Region. There have been 482,749 cases resolved, up 3,119.
  • So far, there have been 7,286,177 vaccinations. There are 442,102 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 112,759 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 683 by the B1351 variant and 2,059 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 38,422 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,856,381. There are 26,091 test results pending.
  • There are 35 outbreaks in long term care residence with 44 resident cases, 99 in staff. So far, 3,943 residents have died.
  • Ontario won’t be returning to the colour-coded pandemic response framework once reopening begins. As well, the Ford government is preparing a reopening plan that is expected to be released soon.
  • The number of COVID-19 tests completed each day in Ontario is steadily dropping, despite warnings by experts that the province actually needs to ramp up testing if it is to successfully reopen this summer and avoid a fourth wave. CBC has more.
  • In a memo to hospitals, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health says some hospitals may be able to resume non-emergency surgeries and procedures. Dr. David Williams cautioned that this will depend on the capacity of individual facilities and it will not be uniform across the province.
  • Opioid-related deaths surged in Ontario after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, with a total of 2,050 people dying between the months of March and December, according to a report entitled Changing Circumstances Surrounding Opioid-Related Deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic. It found that one in six deaths occurred among people experiencing homelessness. Quebec is reporting 584 new cases for a total of 364,980. So far, there have been 347,387 recoveries. There have been eight more deaths raising the total to 11,058. There are 466 in hospital, 113 in intensive care. The province completed 35,862 tests on May 17. So far, 4,543,365 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 5,036,719 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 25 new cases today for a total of 11,908. There have been 208 deaths. There are 247 active cases and 11,428 recoveries. There are 33 in hospital, six in intensive care. The Outaouais, including Gatineau, has emerged from a 45-day lockdown, with the curfew moving back to 9:30 p.m. students returning to in-class learning and non-essential businesses and personal and aesthetic care services reopening.
  • Nova Scotia reported two COVID-19 related deaths, along with 83 new cases on Wednesday.
  • PEI reports five new cases, New Brunswick eight along with one more death and Newfoundland and Labrador reported three new cases.
  • Nunavut added four more cases today.
  • Manitoba reported 402 new cases while Saskatchewan reports 141 new cases.
  • In Canada there have been 1,340,416+ cases with 25,048+ deaths and 1,252,439+ recoveries. There are 62,929 active cases.
  • Canadians hoping to cross the border for the sole purpose of getting a COVID-19 vaccine will be turned away, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In a statement to CTVNews.ca, a CBP spokesperson said the Canadian-U.S. border remains restricted to “essential travel” only.
  • The Consumer Price Index rose 3.4 per cent on a year-over-year basis in April, up from a 2.2 per cent gain in March. A significant proportion of this increase was attributable to a steep decline in prices in April 2020, Statistics Canada says.
  • Health Canada now says that the Pfizer vaccine can be stored a fridge temperatures for 30 days.
  • Worldwide there have been 164,423,903+ cases, 3,408,431+ deaths and 1,534,048,751+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 18

  • Ontario reported 1,616 new cases today. There have been 513,102 cases so far. The province added 17 more deaths for a total of 8,506. There are 1,484 in hospital with 764 in intensive care, 559 on a ventilator. There are 472 new cases in Toronto, 360 in Peel, 116 in York Region, 114 in Hamilton and 102 in Durham. There have been 479,630 cases resolved, up 2,502.
  • So far, there have been 7,286,177 vaccinations. There are 442,102 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 110,956 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 681 by the B1351 variant and 2,031 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 22,915 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,817,959. There are 20,325 test results pending.
  • There are 35 outbreaks in long term care residence with 39 resident cases, 98 in staff. So far, 3,940 residents have died.
  • Ontario is opening up eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines to everyone aged 18 and older a week ahead of schedule, the province said Monday, as public health units reported another 2,170 cases of the illness.
  • In Ottawa, 40,000 available appointments were snapped up in just more than two hours. Ottawa Public Health issued a called for more vaccine.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 77 new cases for a total of 26,111. There have been 536 deaths, up one. There are 1,066 active cases and 24,509 recoveries. There are in 55 hospital with 19 in intensive care. There are 21 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 549 new cases for a total of 364,396. So far, there have been 346,639 recoveries. There have been nine more deaths raising the total to 11,050. There are 484 in hospital, 118 in intensive care. The province completed 22,915 tests on May 16. So far, 4,469,055 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 4,993,429 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 26 new cases today for a total of 11,883. There have been 208 deaths. There are 248 active cases and 11,401 recoveries. There are 36 in hospital, six in intensive care. The Outaouais, including Gatineau, has emerged from a 45-day lockdown, with the curfew moving back to 9:30 p.m. students returning to in-class learning and non-essential businesses and personal and aesthetic care services reopening.
  • Premier Francois Legault revealed a reopening plan today. Starting May 28, the curfew will lift across the province. Restaurant terrasses will reopen. Backyard gatherings of up to eight people will be allowed. Travel between regions will be permitted. Theatres and arenas will reopen, but with limits on numbers. Legault said with most people expected to be vaccinated by the end of August, life will return to almost normal.
  • New Brunswick reported 10 new cases today along with one more death.
  • Nova Scotia reported 90 new cases today.
  • Manitoba reported 335 new cases today and one more death.
  • Saskatchewan reported 129 new cases along with three more deaths.
  • Alberta reported 877 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday along with four more deaths.
  • British Columbia health officials announced 411 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths on Tuesday.
  • In Canada there have been 1,336,721+ cases with 25,013+ deaths and 1,245,684+ recoveries. There are 66,297 active cases.
  • Canada’s Medicago reported that its vaccine for COVID-19 is showing promising antibody results in hundreds of participants in a phase two trial and could be ready for a final authorization request this summer.
  • A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline showed a robust immune response in early-stage clinical trial results, enabling them to move to a late-stage study, the companies announced on Monday.
  • Canada’s National Advisory Council on Immunization is recommending Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for anyone aged 12 and up.
  • The federal government will invest $200 million Mississauga, Ont.-based Resilience Biotechnologies Inc. build a plant to produce mRNA vaccines.
  • Worldwide there have been 163,765,636+ cases, 3,393,768+ deaths and 1,504,243,921+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 17

  • Ontario reported 2,170 new cases today. There have been 511,486 cases so far. The province added four more deaths for a total of 8,489. There are 1,320 in hospital with 779 in intensive care, 536 on a ventilator. There are 566 new cases in Toronto, 556 in Peel, 215 in York Region, 120 in Durham and 101 in Hamilton. There have been 477,128 cases resolved, up 2,953.
  • So far, there have been 7,177,145 vaccinations. There are 432,760 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 108,801 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 679 by the B1351 variant and 2,021 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 24,498 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,795,044. There are 8,960 test results pending.
  • There are 34 outbreaks in long term care residence with 47 resident cases, 110 in staff. So far, 3,939 residents have died.
  • Ontario is opening up vaccinations to those 18 and up today. This comes as Premier Doug Ford appeared to open the door to summer camps after July 1.
  • Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott says outdoors sports facilities, such as golf courses will be open by or before June 2.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 77 new cases for a total of 26,111. There have been 536 deaths, up one. There are 1,066 active cases and 24,509 recoveries. There are in 55 hospital with 19 in intensive care. There are 21 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 551 new cases for a total of 363,847. So far, there have been 345,794 recoveries. There have been eight more deaths raising the total to 11,042. There are 501 in hospital, 116 in intensive care. The province completed 21,925  tests on May 15. So far, 4,396,507 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 4,578,079 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 19 new cases today for a total of 11,857. There have been 208 deaths. There are 265 active cases and 11,365 recoveries. There are 35 in hospital, six in intensive care. The Outaouais, including Gatineau, is emerging from a 45-day lockdown, with the curfew moving back to 9:30 p.m. students returning to in-class learning and non-essential businesses and personal and esthetic care services reopening.
  • Premier Francois Legault is to reveal a reopening plan for the province on Tuesday.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting 10 new cases.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 91 new cases today.
  • Hard-hit Manitoba is reporting one more death and 430 new cases. The province now has the highest per capita COVID-19 infection rate in Canada.
  • Saskatchewan reported two more deaths along with 178 new cases.
  • Alberta reported 721 new cases on Monday along with five more deaths.
  • British Columbia reported 1,360 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend, along with 14 additional deaths
  • In Canada there have been 1,328,582+ cases with 24,948+ deaths and 1,233,293+ recoveries. There are 70,341 active cases.
  • Brig.-Gen. Krista Brodie, an army logistics officer who’s spent more than 30 years in uniform, is replacing Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin as the military officer in charge of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s vaccine rollout. Fortin left the post Friday after an allegation of sexual misconduct was raised.
  • Worldwide there have been 163,151,673+ cases, 3,381,168+ deaths and 1,475,324,205+ vaccine doses have been delivered.
  • Even as it opens up with hugging carefully encouraged, the United Kingdom is reporting 2,323 cases of the B1617 coronavirus variant first discovered in India.
  • The U.S. will share a total of 80 million doses of vaccine with the world over the next six weeks, President Joe Biden has announced.

May 16

  • Ontario reported 2,199 new cases today. There have been 509,316 cases so far. The province added 30 more deaths for a total of 8,485. There are 1,292 in hospital with 785 in intensive care, 509 on a ventilator. There are 689 new cases in Toronto, 584 in Peel, 252 in York Region, 157 in Durham and 115 in Hamilton. There have been 474,175 cases resolved, up 3,079.
  • So far, there have been 6,925,232 vaccinations. There are 422,960 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 107,541 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 677 by the B1351 variant and 1,983 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 33,142 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,770,546. There are 12,559 test results pending.
  • There are 36 outbreaks in long term care residence with 56 resident cases, 118 in staff. So far, 3,939 residents have died.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 91 new cases for a total of 26,034. There have been 535 deaths. There are 1,093 active cases and 24,406 recoveries. There are in 64 hospital with 22 in intensive care. There are 22 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 716 new cases for a total of 363,296. So far, there have been 344,950 recoveries. There have been two more deaths raising the total to 11,034. There are 508 in hospital, 119 in intensive care. The province completed 31,315 tests on May 14. So far, 4,323,040 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 4,578,079 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 29 new cases today for a total of 11,838. There have been 208 deaths. There are 265 active cases and 11,365 recoveries. There are 35 in hospital, six in intensive care.
  • In Canada there have been 1,328,582+ cases with 24,948+ deaths and 1,233,293+ recoveries. There are 70,341 active cases.
  • Worldwide there have been 162,760,575+ cases, 3,374,445+ deaths and 1,460,668,782+ vaccine doses have been delivered.

May 15

  • Ontario reported 2,584 new cases today. There have been 507,117 cases so far. The province added 24 more deaths for a total of 8,455. There are 1,546 in hospital with 785 in intensive care, 560 on a ventilator. There are 689 new cases in Toronto, 584 in Peel, 252 in York Region, 157 in Durham and 115 in Hamilton. There have been 471,096 cases resolved, up 3,063.
  • So far, there have been 6,925,232 vaccinations. There are 422,960 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 106,043 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 625 by the B1351 variant and 1,853 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 42,320 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,737,404. There are 19,533 test results pending.
  • There are 36 outbreaks in long term care residence with 56 resident cases, 118 in staff. So far, 3,938 residents have died.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 95 new cases for a total of 25,943. There have been 535 deaths, up one. There are 1,127 active cases and 24,281 recoveries. There are in 69 hospital with 22 in intensive care. There are 23 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 760 new cases for a total of 362,580. So far, there have been 344,039 recoveries. There have been eight more deaths raising the total to 11,032. There are 509 in hospital, 120 in intensive care. The province completed 31,644 tests on May 13. So far, 4,230,520 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 4,578,079 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 19 new cases today for a total of 11,809. There have been 208 deaths. There are 268 active cases and 11,333 recoveries. There are 34 in hospital, seven in intensive care.
  • In Canada there have been 1,318,399+ cases with 24,869+ deaths and 1,220,110+ recoveries. There are 73,420 active cases.
  • Maj.Gen. Dany Fortin, who has been leading the delivery of vaccines in Canada, has been removed from his post as he is now subject of a sexual harassment investigation.
  • Worldwide there have been 162,038,093+ cases, 3,360,727+ deaths and 1,433,444,285+ vaccine doses have been delivered.
  • The World Health Organization has now designated the B1617 variant first discovered in India as a variant of concern similar to the B1117, B1351 and P1 variants now infecting Canada.

May 14

  • Ontario reported 2,362 new cases today. There have been 504,533 cases so far. The province added 26 more deaths for a total of 8,431. There are 1,582 in hospital with 777 in intensive care, 560 on a ventilator. There are 691 new cases in Toronto, 563 in Peel, 224 in York Region, 148 in Durham and 112 in Hamilton. There have been 468,033 cases resolved, up 3,502.
  • So far, there have been 6,771,128 vaccinations. There are 415,531 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 103,864 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 594 by the B1351 variant and 1,746 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 44,040 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,695,084. There are 22,237 test results pending.
  • There are 36 outbreaks in long term care residence with 57 resident cases, 120 in staff. So far, 3,937 residents have died.
  • Ontario is investing $35 million to increase the enrolment of nurses in the province’s colleges and universities starting this fall. This investment is expected to create 1,130 positions for practical nurses and 870 spots for registered nurses.
  • Ontario’s stay-at-home will remain in place until “at least” June 2.
  • Next week, Ontario will stop sending 50 per cent of its COVID-19 vaccine supply to hot spot neighbourhoods in Toronto, Peel Region and more, instead allocating doses evenly across the province. Toronto officials say the hot-spot strategy is a success story that needs to continue. In all, Ontario will receive almost four million doses of vaccine this month.
  • Since the start of this year, more than 2,000 patient transfers have taken place across the province, 1,133 patients in April alone, including many without consent, between regions — from Toronto to Ottawa to northern Ontario.
  • The City of Toronto has extended the ban on large outdoor events, including the Canadian National Exhibition, in the city until Sept. 6.
  • A church in Aylmer, ON, that has defied COVID-19 restrictions, has been padlocked.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 116 new cases for a total of 25,848. There have been 534 deaths, up one. There are 1,188 active cases and 24,126 recoveries. There are in 71 hospital with 22 in intensive care. There are 24 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 838 new cases for a total of 361,820. So far, there have been 343,142 recoveries. There have been eight more deaths raising the total to 11,025. There are 530 in hospital, 123 in intensive care. The province completed 36,776 tests on May 12. So far, 4,127,768 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 4,578,079 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 19 new cases today for a total of 11,790. There have been 208 deaths. There are 304 active cases and 11,260 recoveries. There are 34 in hospital, seven in intensive care.
  • Quebec is now offering digital proof of vaccination. Starting today Quebecers aged 18 and up are eligible to get a vaccination for COVID-19. So far 45 per cent of the population have received at least one dose.
  • There are two new cases in Prince Edward Island.
  • Nunavut is seeing 12 more cases today.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting six new cases.
  • Nova Scotia reported 117 new cases and one more death.
  • New Brunswick reported five new cases today.
  • Manitoba reported 491 new cases and no additional deaths from the virus Friday, but modelling numbers show daily case counts and ICU numbers will likely to rise in the coming weeks.
  • Saskatchewan reported 227 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, along with two more deaths.
  • Alberta reported 1,433 new cases along with five more deaths.
  • British Columbia reported 494 new cases and two more deaths.
  • In Canada there have been 1,315,634+ cases with 24,859+ deaths and 1,216,598+ recoveries. There are 75,475 active cases.
  • Public Health Agency officials say that if enough Canadians are vaccinated, indoor sports and family gatherings can resume in the fall. Officials say 75 per cent vaccinated with one dose and 20 per cent fully vaccinated will trigger an easing of restrictions. The goal is to reach this by the end of June. Canada will have received about 25 million doses of vaccine by the end of May. nSome 2.4 million doses of Pfizer vaccine are expected in June.
  • Dr. Theresa Tam says signs are showing the country has passed the peak off the third wave of COVID-19.
  • A new Leger poll suggests Canadian confidence in vaccines against COVID-19 is holding firm despite swirling confusion and concern about the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The survey also suggests Canadians are largely open to the idea of vaccine passports but support them more for travel than for activities such as dining out, going to a concert or a shopping mall. More than eight in 10 Canadian respondents said they are either vaccinated already or plan to be when it’s their turn.
  • Worldwide there have been 161,290,797+ cases, 3,347,183+ deaths and 1,405,665,427+ vaccine doses have been delivered.
  • The World Health Organization has now designated the B1617 variant first discovered in India as a variant of concern similar to the B1117, B1351 and P1 variants now infecting Canada.
  • Americans are celebrating the decision by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ease indoor mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, allowing them to safely stop wearing masks inside in most places. The guidance still calls for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters,

May 13

  • Ontario reported 2,759 new cases today. There have been 502,171 cases so far. The province added 31 more deaths for a total of 8,405. There are 1,632 in hospital with 776 in intensive care, 568 on a ventilator. There are 774 new cases in Toronto, 602 in Peel, 258 in York Region, 147 in Durham and 133 in Hamilton. There have been 464,531 cases resolved, up 3,455.
  • So far, there have been 6,629,363 vaccinations. There are 407,600 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 101,232 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 574 by the B1351 variant and 1,727 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 47,638 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,651,044. There are 24,365 tests pending.
  • There are 41 outbreaks in long term care residence with 66 resident cases, 149 in staff. So far, 3,937 residents have died.
  • Ontario’s stay-at-home will remain in place until “at least” June 2, Premier Doug Ford said. The premiere has also asked the federal government to toughen border controls including reducing the number of international flights coming to Canada, particularly Ontario; mandatory COVID-19 tests for domestic travellers and requiring those crossing at a land border to spend three days in a quarantine hotel.
  • Next week, Ontario will stop sending 50 per cent of its COVID-19 vaccine supply to hot spot neighbourhoods in Toronto, Peel Region and more, instead allocating doses evenly across the province. Toronto officials say the hot-spot strategy is a success story that needs to continue. In all, Ontario will receive almost four million doses of vaccine this month.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 104 new cases for a total of 25,732. There have been 533 deaths, up five. There are 1,190 active cases and 24,009 recoveries. There are in 74 hospital with 22 in intensive care. There are 30 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 781 new cases for a total of 360,982. So far, there have been 342,170 recoveries. There have been five more deaths raising the total to 11,017. There are 520 in hospital, 121 in intensive care. The province completed 37,619 tests on May 11. So far, 4,014,843 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 4,578,079 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 28 new cases today for a total of 11,771. There have been 207 deaths. There are 306 active cases and 11,230 recoveries. There are 39 in hospital, eight in intensive care.
  • Quebec is beginning to offer digital proof of vaccination today.
  • Quebec’s Health Ministry has decided to stop administering the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine as a first dose, effective immediately, joining most other provinces. The province’s stock of AstraZeneca vaccines is nearly empty, but a shipment of 148,000 doses is expected next week. Quebec will set those doses aside for Quebecers who will want them as their second dose, after having received either the CoviShield or AstraZeneca vaccines for their first dose.
  • In Canada there have been 1,305,770+ cases with 24,766+ deaths and 1,204,328+ recoveries. There are 76,676 active cases.
  • Worldwide there have been 160,558,815+ cases, 3,334,042+ deaths and 1,375,135,604+ vaccine doses delivered.
  • The World Health Organization has now designated the B1617 variant first discovered in India as a variant of concern similar to the B1117, B1351 and P1 variants now infecting Canada.

May 12

  • Ontario reported 2,320 new cases today. There have been 499,412 cases so far. The province added 32 more deaths for a total of 8,374. There are 1,673 in hospital with 776 in intensive care, 559 on a ventilator. There are 712 new cases in Toronto, 452 in Peel, 157 in York Region, 139 in Durham and 113 in Hamilton. There have been 461,076 cases resolved, up 3,477.
  • So far, there have been 6,491,666 vaccinations. There are 402,258 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 98,945 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 568 by the B1351 variant and 1,683 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 45,681 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,603,406. There are 28,174 tests pending.
  • There are 43 outbreaks in long term care residence with 65 resident cases, 157 in staff. So far, 3,936 residents have died.
  • Ontario expects to receive 254,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine next week. The province says it could use these as second doses of vaccine.
  • Next week, Ontario will stop sending 50 per cent of its COVID-19 vaccine supply to hot spot neighbourhoods in Toronto, Peel Region and more, instead allocating doses evenly across the province. Toronto officials say the hot-spot strategy is a success story that needs to continue. In all, Ontario will receive almost four million doses of vaccine this month.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 115 new cases for a total of 25,628. There have been 528 deaths, up one. There are 1,241 active cases and 23,851 recoveries. There are in 73 hospital with 18 in intensive care. There are 30 outbreaks.
  • Ottawa’s medical officer of health, Dr. Vera Etches and Mayor Jim Watson say if local COVID-19 indicators keep declining, there’s a chance the province could allow students to return to in-person classes by the end of May.
  • Quebec is reporting 745 new cases for a total of 360,201. So far, there have been 341,433 recoveries. There have been 11 more deaths raising the total to 11,012. There are 530 in hospital, 126 in intensive care. The province completed 38,277 tests on May 10. So far, 3,918,884 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 4,578,079 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 43 new cases today for a total of 11,743. There have been 207 deaths. There are 294 active cases and 11,201 recoveries. There are 51 in hospital, eight in intensive care.
  • Quebec says it will begin offering digital proof of vaccination starting Thursday.
  • Premier Francois Legault said that because cases are lower emergency restrictions will be lifted in the Outaouais on Monday. This means non-essential stores can reopen, the curfew will move back to 9:30 p.m. and all students will be back in school. Quebec police will be stopping people from Ontario who may be trying to visit stores in Quebec, Legault said.
  • Nova Scotia health officials reported 149 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the province’s total number of active cases to 1,621. The province joined Ontario in suspending the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, as has Newfoundland and Labrador. That province reported 10 new cases today.
  • New Brunswick Public Health reported nine new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
  • Manitoba is pausing administration of first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine for most Manitobans in light of supply issues and recent news about the vaccine. First doses of the vaccine can still be administered at doctors’ offices and pharmacies, but only in cases where individuals might not otherwise be immunized with other vaccines at alternative sites, the province said in a news release. Manitoba reported 364 new cases and three more deaths.
  • Saskatchewan reported 183 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, along with 238 recoveries and two more deaths.
  • Alberta’s justice minister, Kayce Madu, ihas apologized on Twitter for remarks he posted on Facebook that said the federal Liberal government, the media and the NDP opposition wanted the province’s health-care system to be overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases. The province is reporting 1,799 new cases today with four more deaths.
  • In Canada there have been 1,299,572+ cases with 24,714+ deaths and 1,196,819+ recoveries. There are 78,039 active cases.
  • Worldwide there have been 159,784,683+ cases, 3,320,036+ deaths and 95,855,289+ recoveries.
  • The World Health Organization has now designated the B1617 variant first discovered in India as a variant of concern similar to the B1117, B1351 and P1 variants now infecting Canada.

May 11

  • Ontario reported 2,073 new cases today. There have been 497,092 cases so far. The province added 15 more deaths for a total of 8,342. There are 1,782 in hospital with 802 in intensive care, 568 on a ventilator. There are 685 new cases in Toronto, 389 in Peel, 231 in York Region and 144 in Durham. There have been 457,599 cases resolved, up 2,898.
  • So far, there have been 6,350,881 vaccinations. There are 396,787 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 95,546 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 530 by the B1351 variant and 1,592 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 28,109 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,557,725. There are 24,915 tests pending.
  • There are 46 outbreaks in long term care residence with 69 resident cases, 161 in staff. So far, 3,934 residents have died.
  • The province is suspending use of the AstraZeneca vaccine because of the risk of a rare, potentially deadly, but treatable blood clot that has occurred following vaccination. In Canada, at least 12 cases have been confirmed out of more than two million doses given and three women have died.
  • Despite falling daily case counts, Ontario will likely extend its stay at home order past May 20 because cases are still too high. The daily number needs to be under 1,000 before consideration will be given to any relaxing of restrictions.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 67 new cases for a total of 25,513. There have been 527 deaths, up two. There are 1,285 active cases and 23,701 recoveries. There are in 76 hospital with 20 in intensive care. There have been 32 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 660 new cases for a total of 359,456. So far, there have been 340,637 recoveries. There have been nine more deaths raising the total to 11,002. There are 540 in hospital, 128 in intensive care. The province completed 22,127 tests on May 9. So far, 3,781,451 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 4,119,439 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 27 new cases today for a total of 11,700. There have been 205 deaths. There are 312 active cases and 11,156 recoveries. There are 53 in hospital, eight in intensive care.
  • Quebec says it will begin offering digital proof of vaccination starting Thursday.
  • Premier Francois Legault said that because cases are lower emergency restrictions will be lifted in the Outaouais on Monday. This means non-essential stores can reopen, the curfew will move back to 9:30 p.m. and all students will be back in school. Quebec police will be stopping people from Ontario who may be trying to visit stores in Quebec, Legault said.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 118 new cases today.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting 15 new cases of COVID-19 today, New Brunswick is reporting two new cases.
  • Nunavut is reporting 14 new cases.
  • Enforcement officers have doled out over $40,000 in tickets to Manitobans who’ve attended various anti-mask and anti-lockdown rallies this month and more fines are on the way, the government says. Manitoba reported 329 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday and no new deaths.
  • Saskatchewan is reporting 186 new cases and four more deaths.
  • Alberta’s justice minister, Kayce Madu, is under fire for remarks he posted on Facebook that said the federal Liberal government, the media and the NDP opposition wanted the province’s health-care system to be overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases. Alberta is suspending use of the AstraZeneca vaccine because of a supply concern.
  • Alberta is reporting 1,449 new cases and three more deaths. Meanwhile police have served the organizers of a rodeo held earlier this month near Bowden, Alta., to protest provincial COVID-19 restrictions with a summons to make a court appearance for putting on the event. 
  • British Columbia will give all workers in the province up to three days of paid sick leave if they have to miss work. The province reported 515 new cases today.
  • In Canada there have been 1,294,186+ cases with 24,682+ deaths and 1,189,678+ recoveries. There are 79,826 active cases.
  • The federal government is making $740 million available for airports in the country to help them cope with the impact of the pandemic.
  • Worldwide there have been 159,073,559+ cases, 3,306,550+ deaths and 95,133,662+ recoveries.
  • The World Health Organization has now designated the B1617 variant first discovered in India as a variant of concern similar to the B1117, B1351 and P1 variants now infecting Canada.

May 10

  • Ontario reported 2,716 new cases today. There have been 495,019 cases so far. The province added 19 more deaths for a total of 8,327. There are 1,632 in hospital with 828 in intensive care, 547 on a ventilator. There have been 454,701 recoveries, up 3,110.
  • So far, there have been 6,238,778 vaccinations. There are 393,884 fully vaccinated.
  • The province says there have been 93,263 cases of infection by the B1117 variant, 511 by the B1351 variant and 1,558 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 27,175 tests in the past 24 hours for a total of 14,529,616. There are 12,837 tests pending.
  • There are 45 outbreaks in long term care residence with 67 resident cases, 155 in staff. So far, 3,931 residents have died.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 83 new cases for a total of 25,446. There have been 525 deaths, up two. There are 1,379 active cases and 23,547 recoveries. There are in 73 hospital with 19 in intensive care. There have been 32 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 662 new cases for a total of 358,796. So far, there have been 339,660 recoveries. There have been six more deaths raising the total to 10,993. There are 543 in hospital, 123 in intensive care. The province completed 24,419 tests on May 8. So far, 3,884,493 vaccine doses have been delivered. The province has received 4,532,449 doses so far.
  • In the Outaouais, there have been 21 new cases today for a total of 11,673. There are 331 active cases and 11,116 recoveries. There are 54 in hospital, nine in intensive care.
  • Quebec says it will begin offering digital proof of vaccination starting Thursday.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 121 new cases raising the active case number to 1,655.
  • Manitoba is reporting 502 new cases and four more deaths. The province is closing schools to indoor learning starting Wednesday.
  • Alberta is reporting 1,597 new cases and seven more deaths. The province is begining to vaccinate all Albertans aged 12 and up today.
  • British Columbia recorded 20 COVID-19 deaths over the past three days, along with 1,759 new cases.
  • In Canada there have been 1,286,666+ cases with 24,626+ deaths and 1,181,251+ recoveries. There are 80,789 active cases.
  • Poor intelligence gathering, faulty risk assessments on the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and a Public Health Agency that lacked enough scientific expertise helped make the pandemic worse in Canada than it should have been, the Commons Health committee heard Friday.
  • Worldwide there have been 158,434,226+ cases, 3,295,077+ deaths and 94,477,930+ recoveries.
  • The World Health Organization has now designated the B1617 variant first discovered in India as a variant of concern similar to the B1117, B1351 and P1 variants now infecting Canada.

May 9

Happy Mother’s Day.

  • Ontario reported 3,216 new cases today for a total of 492,303. The province added 47 more deaths for a total of 8,308. There are 1,640 in hospital, with 848 in intensive care, 580 on ventilator. There are 903 new cases in Toronto, 752 in Peel Region and 335 in York Region. There have been 451,591 recoveries, up 3,653.
  • So far, there have been 6,144,685 people who have received at least one dose. There are 392,835 fully vaccinated.
  • The province reported there have been 91,624 cases of infection by the B117 variant, 400 by the B1351 variant and 1,229 by the P1 variant.
  • Ontario completed 38,540 tests in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 14,502,441. There are 16,085 tests pending.
  • There are 46 outbreaks in long term care homes where there are 70 residents infected and 161 staff. So far 3,931 residents have died.
  • Ottawa Public Health is reporting 143 new cases today. This brings the total to 25,363. There have now been 523 deaths, up two. There are 1,448 active cases and 23,392 recoveries. There are 81 in hospital with 21 in intensive care. There have been 33 outbreaks.
  • Quebec is reporting 960 new cases today for a total of 358,134. There have been six new deaths for a total of 10,997. There are 539 in hospital with 124 in intensive care. There have been 338,628 recoveries. The province completed 29,582 tests on May 7. So far, 3,718,074 have been vaccinated. The provinçe has received 4,119,939 doses.
  • In the Outaouais there have been 36 new cases for a total of 11,652. There have been 205 deaths. There are 331 active cases and have been 11,116 recoveries. There are 54 in hospital with nine in intensive care.
  • In Nova Scotia there were 165 new cases today.
  • Manitoba reported 531 new cases and three more deaths.
  • Alberta reported 1,633 new cases and two more deaths.
  • So far, Canada has seen 1,286,672+ cases with 24,626+ deaths and 1,181,257+ recoveries. There are 80,789 active cases.
  • Around the world there have been 157,812,392+ cases with 3,285,591+ deaths and 93,852,320+ recoveries.

May 8

  • Ontario recorded 2,864 new cases of COVID-19 today raising the total to 489,087. The province reported 25 more deaths for a total of 8,261. There are 1,832 in hospital with 851 in intensive care, 588 on a ventilator. There were 684 cases in Toronto, 803 in Peel Region and 285 in York Region. There have been 447,938 recoveries, up 3,596.
  • So far, there have been 6,023,610 people vaccinated with at least one dose. There are 390,990 fully vaccinated.
  • The province is reporting 89,614 cases of infection by the B117 variant, 395 involving the B1351 variant and 1,212 of the P1 variant.
  • Ontario conducted 47,817 tests in the past 24 hours, for a total of 14,463,901. There are 21,740 test results pending.
  • There are 46 outbreaks in long term care homes. There are 70 residents infected and 161 staff. So far 3,931 residents have died.
  • Ottawa Public Health is reporting 112 new cases for a total of 25,220. There have now been 521 deaths, up one. There are 81 in hospital, 21 in intensive care. There are 1,458 active cases. There have been 23,241 recoveries. There are 35 outbreaks reported.
  • Quebec is reporting 958 new cases for a total of 357,174. There have been 337,174 recoveries. The provinçe is reporting seven deaths for a total of 10,981. There are 547 in hospital, 130 in intensive care. The province tested 35,562 on May 6. There have been 3,641,908 vaccinated. The provinçe has received 4,119,439 doses.
  • In the Outaouais, 58 new cases were reported bringing the total to 11,616. There have been 205 deaths. There are 345 active cases. There have been 11,066 recoveries. There are 50 hospital, nine in intensive care.
  • Canada has seen 1,273,169+ cases, 24,529+ deaths and 1,167,422+ recoveries. There are 81,218 active cases.
  • So far, there have been 157,031,743+ cases worldwide, 3,273,408+ deaths and 93,175,467+ recoveries.

May 7

  • Ontario reported 3,166 new cases of COVID-19 today raising the total to 486,223. Thé province recorded 23 more deaths for a total of 8,236. There are 1,924 in hospital with 853 in intensive care, 611 on a ventilator. There were 876 in Toronto, 265 in Durham and 148 in Hamilton. There have been 444,342 recoveries.
  • So far 5,885,485 have been vaccinated with at least one dose. Some 387,484 are fully vaccinated.
  • The province is reporting 86,486 cases of infection by the B117 variant first identified in the U.K., 367 cases of B1351 and 1,069 cases of the P1 variant.
  • Ontario conducted 51,338 tests in the past 24 hours bringing the total to 14,416,084. There are 25,957 pending.
  • There are 50 long term care homes with outbreaks. There are 72 résidents infected and 168 staff. So far, 3,931 résidents have died from the virus.
  • In Quebec, there are 919 new cases bringing the total to 356,216. Five more have died, bringing the total to 10,974. There are 574 people in hospital, 139 in intensive care. Quebec completed 41,431 tests on May 5. So far, 3,550,899 people have received at least one dose of vaccine. The province has received 4,110,859 doses.
  • In the Outaouais, there were 33 new cases for a total of 11,558. There have been 202 deaths. There have been 10,944 recoveries. There are 380 active cases. There are 58 in hospital, 11 in intensive care.
  • Ottawa has seen 110 new cases today bringing the total to 25,108. There have been 520 deaths. There 88 in hospital with 25 in intensive care. There are 1,553 active cases and 23,035 recoveries. There are 37 current outbreaks. So far, 406,236 people have received at least one dose of vaccine.
  • A growing number of complaints is sending Ottawa bylaw officers to skate parks and basketball courts to enforce the provincial ban on such activities.
  • New Brunswick is reporting eight new cases today.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 227 news cases today. The province is further tightening borders, extending school closures and tightening rules governing stores.
  • Manitoba is reporting a surge in new cases with 502 today, along with one death. The province is imposing new restrictions.
  • Saskatchewan is reporting 295 cases and one death today.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,265,320+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,489+ deaths from the infection and 1,159,506+ recoveries. There are 81,325+ active cases.
  • The economy lost 207,000 jobs in April, Statistics Canada said today. The jobless rate is now 8.1 per cent.
  • The prime minister said Canada will consider waiving patents rights to COVID vaccines.
  • There have now been 156,176,138+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,258,680+ deaths and 92,406,886+ recoveries.
  • New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer is calling on Canada and the U.S. to prepare a plan for the reopening on the border.

May 6

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 106 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 24,998 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 519, up two. There are 95 in hospital; 26 in intensive care. There are 1,620 active cases and there have been 22,859 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 22 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 10 in schools and child-care centres. There are seven other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 391,251 doses of vaccine administered.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 483,057 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,424 cases today. The death toll rose by 26 to 8,213. There are 1,964 people in hospital, down 111, with 877 in intensive care, down five, and 600 on a ventilator, down 20. Today, the province says there are 958 new cases in Toronto, 900 in Peel, 291 in York Region, 175 in Durham and 155 in Hamilton. There has been a total of 440,467 resolved cases, up 3,997 today.
  • The province has now identified 83,350 cases of the B117 UK variant, 326 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 1,055 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 5,740,761 doses of vaccine; 384,589 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 54,118 tests the previous day. There have been 14,364,746 tests conducted so far. There are 27,286 tests under review.
  • There are 46 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 62 residents with an infection and 163 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,929 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Anyone age 50 to 54 can now make a vaccine appointment through Ontario’s booking system. Those with a high risk health condition, essential workers including school staff, food manufacturing workers and farm workers are now eligible. Next week, all residents 40 and over will be able to book. Eligibility is also expected to include a wider range of health conditions and job types including transit and grocery store workers.
  • An Ontario Progressive Conservative party advertisement critical of the federal governments handling of the border during the COVID-19 pandemic is drawing fire because it does not include well-known facts such as the federal government has banned international flights, starting more than a year ago, set up a layer of testing and quarantines and that government data shows that travel accounts for just over one per cent of infections, and the majority of the new infections are from community spread.
  • Quebec has now recorded 355,297 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 907 new cases today. So far 335,421 have recovered. The death toll is 10,971, up seven. The number in hospital is 580, down eight, with 144 in intensive care, down eight. The province completed 39,880 tests on May 4 for a total of 8,747,899. Quebec has injected 3,446,157 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,893,539 doses have been received.
  • The Outaouais reported 37 new cases of infection for a total of 11,525, along with a total of 201 deaths. Some 10,889 cases have been resolved. There are 398 active cases. There have been 164,636 vaccine doses administered. There are 53 in hospital in the Outaouais; eight in intensive care.
  • Quebec has approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for teens and plans to make a first dose available to those between the ages of 12 and 17 before the end of June.
  • The Northwest Territories reported 14 new cases of COVID-19 overnight.
  • Nunavut is reporting 12 new cases of infection. Visiting and social gatherings are the main cause of spread in Iqaluit right now, Nunavut’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Michael Patterson said at a press conference. 
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting five new cases today.
  • New Brunswick reported 11 new cases today, along with one death caused by COVID-19.
  • Nova Scotia reported 182 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday, raising the active cases to 1,309.
  • Four more Manitobans have died from COVID-19, and the province has reported 363 new cases on Thursday.
  • Saskatchewan health officials reported 156 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
  • Alberta reported 2,211 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday but no more deaths from the illness. There are now 24,497 active cases across the province, the highest total since the pandemic began in March 2020.
  • British Columbia has recorded its first case of a vaccine-induced thrombosis related to the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, a rare side effect of what health officials maintain is still a highly effective vaccine. The province reported 694 new cases of COVID-19 and one additional death.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,261,688+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,484+ deaths from the infection and 1,156,121+ recoveries. There are 81,671+ active cases.
  • Now that Health Canada has authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 15, federal officials say they expect to have enough on hand to vaccinate that younger cohort by Canada Day. Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the military commander leading vaccine logistics at the Public Health Agency of Canada, said Canada will receive 665,000 doses of AstraZeneca from COVAX, the global vaccine sharing alliance, “in the coming weeks.” That product, like the last COVAX delivery, is expected to come from a facility in South Korea.
  • Two people who recently touched down at Toronto Pearson International Airport face, respectively, fines of $2,000 and $6,000 for allegedly presenting fake COVID-19 pre-departure test results, Transport Canada says. Earlier this year, two passengers travelling to Canada from Mexico were fined $10,000 and $7,000 a piece for presenting fake tests making a false declaration about their health status. 
  • Herd immunity may not be reached in Canada but a return to life similar to that before the pandemic is possible through immunization, experts tell the Canadian Press.
  • There have now been 155,327,705+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,245,054+ deaths and 91,758,970+ recoveries.

May 5

  • Health Canada has become the first agency to approve the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 12 to 16. Some provinces, including Alberta and Quebec, have already begun vaccinating children at high risk. Test results indicate that the vaccine is almost 100 per cent after a second dose in preventing serious infection. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has announced that vaccinations in the province will open up to everyone 12 and up starting on Monday. The Northwest Territories is also expanding vaccinations for those 12 and up starting Thursday. Ontario, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador are also working towards expanding eligibility.
  • Two more people have now died in Canada from a rare blood clot connected with the AstraZeneca vaccine — an Alberta woman in her 50s and a New Brunswick resident. New Brunswick health officials are following two more cases of the condition. has died of a rare blood clot that has been connected to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Three people have now died of this condition. The first was a Quebec woman. New Brunswick is now considering suspending the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 479,633 total cases of COVID-19, adding 2,941 cases today. The death toll rose by 44 to 8,187. There are 2075 people in hospital, down 86, with 882 in intensive care, down four, and 620 on a ventilator, up 11. Today, the province says there are 924 new cases in Toronto, 565 in Peel, 254 in York Region, 171 in Durham and 149 in Hamilton. There has been a total of 436,470 resolved cases, up 4,361 today.
  • The province has now identified 80,511 cases of the B117 UK variant, 317 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 1,001 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 5,599,723 doses of vaccine; 381,123 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 45,767 tests the previous day. There have been 14,310,628 tests conducted so far. There are 29,179 tests under review.
  • There are 52 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 60 residents with an infection and 180 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,929 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario is on track to administer first doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 65 per cent of adults by the end of May, provincial health officials say. They also expect another 1,000 pharmacies will begin administering vaccines by the end of the week, bringing the total to roughly 2,500. Starting May 7, the province will use mobile vaccination units to help get vaccines to workers at small and medium-sized workplaces who can’t work from home in Peel, Toronto and York. As well select pharmacies,including some in Ottawa, will soon be given doses of the Moderna vaccine to administer along with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
  • Peel Region is expanding vaccine eligibility to all adults (18 and up) in the region.
  • Media reports say Ontario Premier Doug Ford is discussing with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer about vaccinating Canadians who are essential workers in Michigan south of the border.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 141 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 24,892 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 517, up two. There are 95 in hospital; 27 in intensive care. There are 1,722 active cases and there have been 22,653 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 18 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 10 in schools and child-care centres. There are six other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 391,251 doses of vaccine administered.
  • Ottawa Public Health has identified three cases of infection by the B1617 variant first discovered in India. The city has 3,971 cases of B117 (UK) variant infection and 21 of the B1351 (South African) variant.
  • Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson received his first vaccine dose this morning at the Nepean Sportsplex.
  • Quebec has now recorded 354,390 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 915 new cases today. So far 334,531 have recovered. The death toll is 10,964, up five. The number in hospital is 588, down five, with 152 in intensive care, down three. The province completed 39,961 tests on May 3 for a total of 8,708,039. Quebec has injected  3,365,575 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,893,539 doses have been received.
  • The Outaouais reported 59 new cases of infection for a total of 11,488, along with a total of 201 deaths. Some 10,816 cases have been resolved. There are 412 active cases. There have been 159,734 vaccine doses administered. There are 50 in hospital in the Outaouais; eight in intensive care.
  • Nunavut is reporting five new cases of infection all in Iqaluit.
  • There is a case today in Yukon where more than 50 per cent of the people are vaccinated.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting six new cases today.
  • New Brunswick reported 11 new cases today, along with one death caused by COVID-19.
  • Nova Scotia reported 175 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the number of active cases in the province to 1,203.
  • Manitoba is reporting 272 new cases and two more deaths today.
  • Saskatchewan reports 196 new cases and two more deaths.
  • Alberta has doubled the amount of fines for breaking COVID-19 restrictions to $2,000. The province reported three deaths and 2,271 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday.
  • British Columbia health officials announced 572 new test-positive COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. 
  • So far Canada has seen 1,257,321+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,450+ deaths from the infection and 1,148,609+ recoveries. There are 81,236+ active cases.
  • The Toronto Blue Jays will resume playing home games in Buffalo starting on June 1 against the Miami Marlins. The Blue Jays can’t play their home games in Canada.
  • There have now been 154,469,379+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,230,336+ deaths and 91,045,189+ recoveries.
  • The World Health Organization says India accounted for 46 per cent of all new cases in the world this past week. The South Asian country has now seen 20,665,148+ cases so far and 226,188+ deaths, although real numbers are almost certainly much higher than officially recorded. The country is recording 3,800 deaths a day and more that 380,000 cases daily. Canada will be sending doses of the COVID-19 treatment remdesivir and about 350 ventilators to help India cope during the brutal pandemic surge.
  • New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says that he expects Broadway theatres to reopen in September.
  • The United States administration says it supports temporarily lifting intellectual property protections for coronavirus vaccines and will move forward with international discussions to waive them, its top trade negotiator said on Wednesday.

May 4

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 24,751 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 515, up five. There are 101 in hospital; 28 in intensive care. There are 1,777 active cases and there have been 22,459 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 18 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 10 in schools and child-care centres. There are six other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 377,953 doses of vaccine administered.
  • The Ontario government says adults 18 and older in three Ottawa neighbourhoods whose postal codes start with K1T, K1V, or K2V can book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment through the province’s online booking portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line number at 1-833-943-3900.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 476,692 total cases of COVID-19, adding 2,791 cases today. The death toll rose by 25 to 8,143. There are 2,161 people in hospital, up 242, with 886 in intensive care, down three, and 609 on a ventilator, down two. Today, the province says there are 931 new cases in Toronto, 653 in Peel, 275 in York Region, 147 in Durham and 128 in Hamilton. There has been a total of 432,109 resolved cases, up 3,323 today.
  • The province has now identified 77,649 cases of the B117 UK variant, 309 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 971 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 5,467,120 doses of vaccine; 378,085 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 33,740 tests the previous day. There have been 14,264,861 tests conducted so far. There are 25,049 tests under review.
  • There are 50 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 60 residents with an infection and 175 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,928 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario might shorten the length of time between COVID-19 vaccine doses because of added supply. The province expects to receive weekly shipments of more than 785,000 doses from Pfizer-BioNTech in May, and more than 938,000 doses per week next month.
  • Education Minister Stephen Lecce told a media conference that virtual learning will continue to be an option when the new school year begins in the fall. He would not say if in-school learning will be cancelled for the rest of the school year. The provincial government will provide “up to $1.6 billion” in “targeted COVID-19 resources” including for special education, more technology and devices to help with online learning, public health nurses, cleaning and PPE and $384 million in “temporary COVID-19 staffing supports.” Of the $1.6 billion, about $508 million could come from school board reserve funds.
  • A second team of nine health care workers from Newfoundland will land in Ontario today and head to the Brampton area.
  • Health Minister Christine Elliott said outdoor recreational activities, such as golf and basketball, remain off-limits to allow transmission rates to drop. “We have seen a lessening of case rates in the last several days, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a trend,” Elliott told reporters at Queen’s Park. “We still need to stay at home as much as possible, we need to limit our mobility as much as possible to reduce transmission.”
  • Quebec has now recorded 353,475 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 797 new cases today. So far 333,624 have recovered. The death toll is 10,959, up up 15. The number in hospital is 594, up six, with 155 in intensive care, up four. The province completed 25,133 tests on May 2 for a total of 8,668,078. Quebec has injected  3,308,542 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,843,089 doses have been received.
  • The Outaouais reported 32 new cases of infection for a total of 11,429, along with a total of 201 deaths, up four. Some 10,734 cases have been resolved. There are 466 active cases. There have been 155,055 vaccine doses administered. There are 50 in hospital in the Outaouais; eight in intensive care.
  • Premier Francois Legault announced a loosening of restrictions in much of the province including opening non-essential stores, pushing the curfew to 9:30 p.m. and bringing students back to in person learning. Only the Gatineau River Valley and the MRC de Papineau in the Outaouais will be opened up. Elsewhere in the Outaouais, including the city of Gatineau and the MRC des Collines, elementary schools will be allowed to reopen but other restrictions will remain in place. Case counts and hospitalizations remain too high. The premier said the situation in West Quebec was fragile. However he was also optimistic that the situation in the province, if it continues to improve, will ease further in a month, even allowing indoor dining.
  • Nunavut is reporting seven new cases.
  • Prince Edward Island is reporting one new case.
  • New Brunswick is reporting four new cases today. The province is opening up vaccinations to those 50 and older.
  • Nova Scotia reported 153 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, along with two deaths, both of which happened at home. One person was not reported as having COVID-19. The provincial lab and public health data entry backlogs are cleared and starting Wednesday, case numbers reported by the province should reflect new cases identified in the last few days.
  • Manitoba has announced 291 new cases and one more death.
  • Health officials said on Tuesday there were 189 new cases in Saskatchewan along with two new deaths.
  • Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced new public health restrictions for parts of the province on Tuesday aimed at preserving the health-care system. Some of the rules take effect immediately, while others will kick in at the end of this weekend. The new restrictions will see students will all learn virtually, outdoor patios are ordered closed along with personal care businesses. And retail will be limited to 10 per cent of capacity. Outdoor gatherings are now limited to five people. Alberta reported 1,743 new cases of COVID-19 on 14,585 tests and nine additional deaths today.
  • British Columbia reported 697 new COVID-19 cases, along with one more death.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,249,950+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,396+ deaths from the infection and 1,142,854+ recoveries. There are 82,843+ active cases.
  • Data provided by the Public Health Agency lists 3,748 people who tested positive the day they returned to Canada despite having to show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three days before they boarded their plane.
  • After weeks of underdelivering, the prime minister says that Moderna will ship a million doses of its vaccine to Canada on Wednesday. The country is also getting more than three million doses this week, two million of them Pfizer.
  • Despite the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) saying AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are not “preferred” products, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today that all vaccines approved for use in this country are safe and effective.
  • Canada is in the process of reviewing the idea of requiring a vaccine passport for international travellers coming into the country.
  • There have now been 153,676,825+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,216,016+ deaths and 90,377,597+ recoveries.
  • Reports in the United States say that the Federal Drug Administration will authorize the Pfizer for children 12 to 16 years next week. The company says it will seek approval for children aged two to 11 in September.
  • U.S. President Joe Biden is now pushing to have 160 million American adults fully vaccinated by July 4.

May 3

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 139 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 24,657 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 510, up one. There are 107 in hospital; 30 in intensive care. There are 1,912 active cases and there have been 22,235 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 19 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and nine in schools and child-care centres. There are six other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 359,584 doses of vaccine administered.
  • The Ontario government says adults 18 and older in three Ottawa neighbourhoods whose postal codes start with K1T, K1V, or K2V can book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment through the province’s online booking portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line number at 1-833-943-3900. York Region says it will only open vaccine appointments to those 35 and older because of vaccine supply issues.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 473,901 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,436 cases today. The death toll rose by 16 to 8,118. There are 1,925 people in hospital, down 36, with 889 in intensive care, down six, and 611 on a ventilator, down four. Today, the province says there are 985 new cases in Toronto, 714 in Peel, 351 in York Region, 271 in Durham and 194 in Hamilton. There has been a total of 428,786 resolved cases, up 3,623 today.
  • The province has now identified 75,346 cases of the B117 UK variant, 301 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 920 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 5,378,249 doses of vaccine; 375,905 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 33,179 tests the previous day. There have been 14,231,121 tests conducted so far. There are 15,119 tests under review.
  • There are 50 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 56 residents with an infection and 170 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,919 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario has asked the National Advisory Committee on Immunization to evaluate the efficacy of giving a different vaccine in the second injection from the first. The question has become more pertinent because of the situation in India, a major supplier of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The South Asian country is under siege in this wave of the pandemic and is not exporting any vaccine fr the time being. It is unclear when there will be an answer.
  • Merrilee Fullerton, minister for Long Term Care and MPP for Kanata Carleton, told a brief news conference this morning that the province would implement recommendations from the commission of inquiry into the government’s handling of the ling term care crisis. She did no apologize for the crisis in care and blamed past governments for failing to deal with issues confronting the sector.
  • Quebec has now recorded 352,678 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 798 new cases today. So far 332,577  have recovered. The death toll is 10,944, up up two. The number in hospital is 588, up 14, with 151 in intensive care, down six. The province completed 25,267 tests on May 1 for a total of 8,642,945. Quebec has injected 3,256,401 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,448,799 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 15 new cases of infection for a total of 11,397, along with a total of 197 deaths. Some 10,659 cases have been resolved. There are 526 active cases. There have been 152,474 vaccine doses administered. There are 50 in hospital in the Outaouais; seven in intensive care.
  • Four more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador,in addition to one more crew member onboard the Federal Montreal cargo ship anchored in Conception Bay, where there are now 12 cases.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 146 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, as the province works through its testing backlog.
  • New Brunswick reports 15 new cases and one more death.
  • Manitoba added another 251 cases on Monday and one more death. Seven rural Manitoba churches are challenging the lockdown restrictions imposed by the province in court. They say they violate freedoms of conscience, religion, expression and peaceful assembly.
  • Saskatchewan has reported three more COVID-19 related deaths and 207 new cases.
  • Nunavut is reporting eight new cases. The city of Iqaluit has declared a state of emergency after example of community spread of the virus.
  • An outbreak at an elementary school in Yellowknife, NWT, has led to six cases of COVID-19, 10 probable cases and the closure of schools in the capital of the Northwest Territories.
  • Alberta reported 2,012 new cases of COVID-19 and four additional deaths. Premier Jason Kenney said stronger public health restrictions will be announced Tuesday. He also announced the expansion of vaccine eligibility to teachers and child-care workers.
  • Alberta Health Services says it is considering its legal options in regards to the organizers of an large anti-masking rodeo near Red Deer on the weekend. Alberta Health said organizers were notified in advance that the rodeo would breach health restrictions if it went ahead. This comes as the trial of a pastor accused of not following public health orders meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 is to begin today.
  • British Columbia health officials announced 2,174 new cases Monday and 15 more deaths.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,242,936+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,339+ deaths from the infection and 1,131,059+ recoveries. There are 83,744+ active cases.
  • The National Advisory Committee on Immunizations says the one shot Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine can be given to people 30 and older. NACI also says it should be given to those who might have difficulty accessing a second dose of vaccine. NACI also says pregnant people should be vaccinated and those who have had a COVID infection should also be vaccinated fully. NACI also indicated that the mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna are ‘prefered’, causing an uproar from health experts about concerns about vaccine hesitancy.
  • There have now been 152,966,008+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,204,395+ deaths and 89,711,382+ recoveries.
  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is resisting calls for a national lockdown even as the country’s crematoriums are over full and the country’s case count is hovering just below and just about 400,000 daily and more than 3,000 deaths. According to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus map, India has seen 19,925,604+ cases and 218,959+ deaths. Both figures are considered much lower than the actual number.

May 2

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 174 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 24,518 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 509, up two. There are 112 in hospital; 29 in intensive care. There are 1,936 active cases and there have been 22,073 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 21 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and eight in schools and child-care centres. There are seven other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 359,584 doses of vaccine administered.
  • The Ontario government says adults 18 and older in three Ottawa neighbourhoods whose postal codes start with K1T, K1V, or K2V can book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment through the province’s online booking portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line number at 1-833-943-3900.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 470,465 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,732 cases today. The death toll rose by 23 to 8,102. There are 1,961 people in hospital, down 191, with 895 in intensive care, down five, and 615 on a ventilator, down 22. Today, the province says there are 1,198 new cases in Toronto, 797 in Peel, 306 in York Region, 237 in Hamilton and 232 in Durham. There has been a total of 425,163 resolved cases, up 3,947 today.
  • The province has now identified 72,313 cases of the B117 UK variant, 291 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 875 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 5,324,369 doses of vaccine; 375,280 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 45,301 tests the previous day. There have been 14,197,942 tests conducted so far. There are 20,091 tests under review.
  • There are 48 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 54 residents with an infection and 163 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,918 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Jim McDonell, the Progressive Conservative MPP for Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, said in a statement that he has tested positive for COVID-19. He went for a test after experiencing cold-like symptoms earlier in the week. McDonell said he was in quarantine and was sharing news of his positive test “as a caution [about] the more contagious variants and the need to follow public health guidelines.”
  • Ontario’s air ambulance paramedics have raised the possibility of going on strike – an “absolute last consideration” if they can’t land an exemption from a provincial law that caps their salaries.
  • Quebec has now recorded 351,880 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,006 new cases today. So far 331,513 have recovered. The death toll is 10,942, up nine. The number in hospital is 574, down four, with 157 in intensive care, down two. The province completed 34,405 tests on April 30 for a total of 8,617,678. Quebec has injected  3,218,214 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,448,799 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 45 new cases of infection for a total of 11,382, along with a total of 197 deaths. Some 10,586 cases have been resolved. There are 554 active cases. There have been 147,629 vaccine doses administered. There are 50 in hospital in the Outaouais; seven in intensive care.
  • Premier François Legault told Quebec’s nurses, teachers and elderly care workers on Sunday that the government had no money left in its coffers to offer them pay raises much higher than inflation.
  • Anti-maskers protested in Montreal today even as the city is on the verge seeing its 8 p.m. curfew set at 9:30 p.m.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador reports seven new cases of COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador on Sunday, with a cargo ship anchored in Conception Bay also reporting 11 new confirmed cases among crew members.
  • New Brunswick reports six new cases and one more death Sunday.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 133 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, as the province works through its testing backlog.
  • Manitoba reports 281 news and two deaths.
  • Saskatchewan has reported reported one new death and 238 new cases.
  • Alberta set record for new infections today with 1,731. Three more deaths were reported.
  • Hundreds of people attended anti-mask rallies in the province Sunday including a large un-masked gathering at a rodeo on Bowden, AL. Meanwhile, Premier Jason Kenney, who has refused to impose more stringent lockdown measures, has suspended the sitting of the legislature today as hospitalizations soared.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,231,774+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,293+ deaths from the infection and 1,124,332+ recoveries. There are 83,495+ active cases.
  • There have now been 152,408,941+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,196,298+ deaths and 89,202,999+ recoveries.

May 1

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 156 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 24,344 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 507, up three. There are 115 in hospital; 30 in intensive care. There are 1,960 active cases and there have been 21,877 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 21 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and nine in schools and child-care centres. There are seven other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 359,584 doses of vaccine administered.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 466,733 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,369 cases today. The death toll rose by 29 to 8,079. There are 2,152 people in hospital, down 49, with 900 in intensive care, up 17, and 637 on a ventilator, up five. Today, the province says there are 1,050 new cases in Toronto, 819 in Peel, 286 in York Region, 158 in Ottawa and 157 in Durham. There has been a total of 421,216 resolved cases, up 3,964 today.
  • The record number of people in ICU has the Ontario Hospital Association considering a future in which triaging patients for care might occur.
  • The province has now identified 69,442 cases of the B117 UK variant, 281 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 772 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 5,247,684 doses of vaccine; 373,559 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 46,803 tests the previous day. There have been 14,152,641 tests conducted so far. There are 26,530 tests under review.
  • There are 48 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 54 residents with an infection and 163 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,918 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Quebec has now recorded 350,874 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,101 new cases today. So far 330,362 have recovered. The death toll is 10,933, up seven. The number in hospital is 578, down 14, with 159 in intensive care, down five. The province completed 39,285 tests on April 29 for a total of 8,583,273. Quebec has injected 3,167,659 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,448,799 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 70 new cases of infection for a total of 11,337, along with a total of 197 deaths. Some 10,586 cases have been resolved. There are 554 active cases. There have been 147,629 vaccine doses administered. There are 50 in hospital in the Outaouais; seven in intensive care.
  • Some emergency rooms in the Outaouais are well-over capacity. On Friday, Maniwaki Hospital saw an occupancy rate of 150 per cent of patients in its emergency department. Hull Hospital saw 140 per cent. Gatineau Hospital’s emergency department was under similar pressure, according to Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO). The hospitals in Wakefield and Shawville have been less hard hit, according to the region’s health authorities. 
  • Newfoundland and Labrador reports five new cases
  • Nunavut reports eight more cases
  • New Brunswick reports 18 new cases
  • Nova Scotia is reporting a record 148 new cases today. Officials say the number is partly the result of the clearing of a backlog of about 45,000 unprocessed tests.
  • Manitoba reports 273 news and two deaths.
  • Saskatchewan has reported reported three new deaths and 262 new cases.
  • Alberta set record for new infections today with 2,433. One more death was reported.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,227,151+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,261+ deaths from the infection and 1,117,523+ recoveries. There are 83,319+ active cases.
  • Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu says her government embraces the concept of “vaccine passports” and will come up with a form of certification to allow vaccinated Canadians to travel internationally again, CBC reports.
  • There have now been 151,542,965+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,183,274+ deaths and 87,710,990+ recoveries.

April 30

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 206 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 24,188 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 504, up one. There are 118 in hospital; 29 in intensive care. There are 2,088 active cases and there have been 21,596 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 19 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and eight in schools and child-care centres. There are 14 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 359,584 doses of vaccine administered.
  • The National Capital Commission will completely close a five-kilometre section of Colonel By Drive to vehicles this summer to give residents more room to move during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 463,364 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,887 cases today. The death toll rose by 21 to 8,050. There are 2,201 people in hospital, down 47, with 883 in intensive care, down one, and 632 on a ventilator, up 12. Today, the province says there are 1,331 new cases in Toronto, 871 in Peel, 267 in York Region, 208 in Durham and 204 in Hamilton. There has been a total of 417,252 resolved cases, up 4,242 today.
  • The province has now identified 65,960 cases of the B117 UK variant, 274 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 645 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 5,139,984 doses of vaccine; 371,110 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 53,074 tests the previous day. There have been 14,105,838 tests conducted so far. There are 29,003 tests under review.
  • There are 49 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 52 residents with an infection and 148 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,918 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario’s Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission says the province was not prepared for a pandemic, and there was no plan to protect long-term care residents from COVID-19, making them “easy targets” for uncontrolled outbreaks. CP24 has more about the 322-page report.
  • Ontario Premier Doug Ford defended his three-day sick leave program Friday after experts with the province’s science advisory table said it was not enough curb the spread of COVID-19.
  • “We’ve modeled the strong, effective sick pay as beginning immediately, lasting for essentially two work weeks—so 10 days—and being at a level that allows people to not have to make difficult choices,” Dr. Adalsteinn Brown said. “It’s a good start, but it doesn’t reflect the assumptions that we’ve made based on the programs we’ve seen elsewhere.”
  • Ontario has asked the federal government to impose a three-day quarantine stay in a hotel at land borders. The federal government has taken the request under advisement, but it does say there have been few cases of infection at land crossings and there are more land crossings than the four airports receiving international flights.
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is formalizing a request from Ontario Premier Doug Ford to suspend the arrival of international students in the province.
  • Quebec has now recorded 349,773 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,041 new cases today. So far 329,174 have recovered. The death toll is 10,926, up 13. The number in hospital is 592, down 31, with 164 in intensive care, down one. The province completed 43,675 tests on April 28 for a total of 8,543,988. Quebec has injected 3,104,026 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,421,969 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 43 new cases of infection for a total of 11,267, along with a total of 197 deaths, up two. Some 10,390 cases have been resolved. There are 639 active cases. There have been 144,089 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. There are 55 in hospital in the Outaouais; eight in intensive care.
  • Nunavut is reporting 11 new cases.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador has eight new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the highest number of new cases since Feb. 25. Seven of the eight cases are related to travel within Canada. 
  • New Brunswick is reporting 11 new cases.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 67 new cases today, but officials say the real number is likely much higher because of a backlog of about 45,000 unprocessed tests.
  • Manitoba reported 295 new COVID-19 Cases Friday along with one more death.
  • Health officials said on Friday there were 264 new cases in Saskatchewan and four more deaths.
  • Alberta reported another 2,007 cases and seven more deaths.
  • British Columbia health officials and residents are managing to suppress infections driven by COVID-19 variants. Researchers from the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences says projections show a 30 to 40 per cent decline in transmission rates since March. There were 740 new cases of COVID-19 discovered in British Columbia in the past 24 hours, the lowest single day case count the province has seen since March 24. Four more deaths were also reported.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,219,425+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,219+ deaths from the infection and 1,109,232+ recoveries. There are 82,865+ active cases.
  • The prime minister said 50 members of the Canadian Forces are now working at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto.
  • Pfizer vaccine deliveries will now come to Canada from the company’s plant in Michigan. Theyhad been coming from Belgium.
  • Health Canada has paused distribution if 300,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine because the doses were processed in a U.S. plant mired in quality-control problems. Those shots will only be released for distribution once Health Canada ensures they’ve met its “high standards for quality, safety and efficacy,” the federal department said Friday evening.
  • Meanwhile, the head of Calgary-based Providence Therapeutics, a company with a promising COVID-19 vaccine, says he’s ready to pull his company out of Canada and take its product elsewhere after calls for more substantial federal support went unanswered. CBC has more.
  • Real gross domestic product grew 0.4 per cent in February, following 0.7 per cent growth in January, Statistics Canada says. The annualized rate is 6.5 per cent. This is the 10th consecutive monthly increase and it continued to offset the steepest drops on record in Canadian economic activity observed in March and April 2020. However, total economic activity was about two per cent below the level observed in February 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • There have now been 150,657,884+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,168,835+ deaths and 87,710,990+ recoveries.

April 29

  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 459,477 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,871 cases today. The death toll rose by 41 to 8,029. There are 2,248 people in hospital, down 33, with 884 in intensive care, up seven, and 620 on a ventilator, up 15. Today, the province says there are 1,172 new cases in Toronto, 901 in Peel, 392 in York Region, 292 in Durham and 147 in Ottawa. There has been a total of 413,010 resolved cases, up 4,245 today.
  • The province has now identified 62,944 cases of the B117 UK variant, 243 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 501 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 5,027,770 doses of vaccine; 368,403 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 56,939 tests the previous day. There have been 14,052,764 tests conducted so far. There are 31,914 tests under review.
  • There are 45 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 41 residents with an infection and 139 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,918 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • New modelling in Ontario shows daily cases are cresting at a very high level. Variant are now 90 per cent of all new cases, most of these are the B117 variant but the other variants are rising.
  • Projections show that without stronger measures, daily cases would remain above 2,000 in June. With stronger measures in place, including effective sick pay, a further shortlist of essential workplaces, low mobility, and more vaccinations, case numbers could drop below 1,000 by early June.
  • The province is expanding vaccine eligibility to 30 and up starting May 17 and 18 and up starting May 24. For the weeks of May 3 and 10, 50 per cent of vaccine doses will go to hot spots.
  • Licensed child-care workers in Ontario can now get a vaccination appointment. The province has also lowered age eligibility in hot spots from 50 to 45.
  • A Toronto woman says her family was forced to pay a private company to bring her uncle’s body home after he was transferred to a hospital in Ottawa and later died there of COVID-19. CTV has more.
  • The bill mandating three days of paid sick leave has now passed the Ontario legislature. The bill says employers will pay up front and will be reimbursed up to $200 a day.
  • Ontario now faces a backlog of more than 250,000 surgeries.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 118 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 23,982 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 503. There are 121 in hospital; 35 in intensive care. There are 2,149 active cases and there have been 21,330 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 19 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and eight in schools and child-care centres. There are 14 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 343,759 doses of vaccine administered.
  • Sixteen of Ottawa’s 23 councillors have written to the province expressing concerns the province has removed “the few remaining safe ways that people can be active outdoors, in a physically distanced way” and urging that restrictions on golf, tennis and pickleball be lifted. Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams says the province is asking for advice about how to conduct such activities outdoors safely, but there is no plan to reopen quickly.
  • Unlike last year, the Canadian Tulip Festival is urging people to admire the flowers virtually and in person as long as they use common sense. 
  • City officials have issued an order that lays out new requirements for Ottawa gym owners and patrons with disabilities to operate legally during the province’s stay-at-home order. Those who break the rules can be charged.
  • Quebec has now recorded 348,732 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,042 new cases today. So far 327,865 have recovered. The death toll is 10,913, up five. The number in hospital is 623, down 20, with 165 in intensive care, up four. The province completed 40,575 tests on April 27 for a total of 8,497,313. Quebec has injected 3,039,512 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,298,629 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 55 new cases of infection for a total of 11,224, along with a total of 195 deaths, up one. Some 10,330 cases have been resolved. There are 645 active cases. There have been 139,368 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. There are 56 in hospital in the Outaouais; seven in intensive care.
  • The Quebec government has unveiled its general population vaccination plan. All adults in the province will soon be able to book an appointment at a vaccine clinic through Clic Santé, the province’s online portal. The schedule is as follows: April 30 — age 50 to 59; May 3 — age 45 to 49; May 5 — age 40 to 44; May 7 — age 35 to 39; May 10 — age 30 to 34; May 12 — age 25 to 29 and May 14 — age 18 to 24. The schedule is based on actual age, not the year of birth.
  • The House of Commons has approved legislation to put an end to a strike that has shut down the Port of Montreal. Conservatives joined the minority Liberal government to pass Bill C-29 by a vote of 255-61. Three Liberals, as well as Bloc Quebecois, NDP and Green MPs, voted against it.
  • Nunavut is reporting 12 new cases.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting two cases.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 70 new cases.
  • New Brunswick is reporting 10 new cases.
  • Manitoba has seen 230 new cases and two more deaths.
  • Saskatchewan announced 205 new cases of COVID-19 and one death.
  • Alberta is tightening restrictions in the face of a third wave surge in cases. Indoor fitness and sporting facilities will close. Some non-essential surgeries requiring a hospital stay are being postponed. The province’s chief medical officer of health is isolating a home after testing negative for the virus. Dr. Deena Hinshaw said the province is reporting 2,048 new cases along with three more deaths.
  • British Columbia is reporting 874 cases today along with one new death. Dr. Bonnie Henry said all B.C. residents will be eligible for a vaccine dose by mid-June.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,211,105+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,169+ deaths from the infection and 1,100,754+ recoveries. There are 83,068+ active cases.
  • The federal government says that Moderna will deliver a million doses in May. Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin said the federal government now expects Moderna will come “as close as possible” to the 12.3 million doses it initially promised to deliver for the April-through-June period, despite past cuts. Vaccine supplies will ramp up dramatically in the coming months as Pfizer delivers two million shots a week starting in May, and 2.5 million shots per week in the month of June — vaccine stocks that are badly needed as the country struggles to push back a punishing third pandemic wave. Canada is now expecting 24.2 million doses of the Pfizer product in the second quarter of this year alone.
  • Health Canada says that bamlanivimab may fail to treat certain variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19. The agency said the potential risk was identified through “global surveillance.”
  • Many Canadians appear to have used food to counter loneliness during the pandemic, a new survey suggests. Of the 9,991 respondents to a recent survey conducted by Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, in partnership with Caddle, more than half (57.9 per cent) reported unintentional weight changes since the start of the pandemic.
  • There have now been 149,718,851+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,153,418+ deaths and 86,971,245+ recoveries.
  • The U.S. economy expanded by 6.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2021 and experts predict growth will accelerate to the fastest rate since 1984 with surge in consumer spending and falling COVID cases.
  • New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says the Big Apple will fully reopen by July 1. De Blasio says New Yorkers have been vaccinated in “extraordinary numbers,” with 6.3 million citizens having received the COVID-19 vaccine to date. So far, 45.1 per cent of New Yorkers have received at least one vaccine dose and 32.6 per cent have completed their vaccine series.
  • The World Health Organization says 82 per cent of vaccine doses administered have been given in rich countries.

April 28

  • In what NDP Leader Andrea Horwath called a “huge disappointment,” Ontario says it will pay for up to three days of sick leave for full and part-time workers to be paid by the employer, who will be reimbursed by the province. The province will pay up to $200 a day. No doctor’s note is required. The offer will be in effect from April 19 until Sept. 25. These days will have to be included in legislation that is to come. The province is also continuing to offer to top up the existing four-week federal program by $500 a week. Negotiations are underway.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 455,606 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,480 cases today. The death toll rose by 24 to 7,988. There are 2,281 people in hospital, down 55, with 877 in intensive care, up two, and 605 on a ventilator, up 16. Today, the province says there are 961 new cases in Toronto, 589 in Peel, 341 in Niagara and 290 in York Region. There has been a total of 408,765 resolved cases, up 4,517 today.
  • The province has now identified 60,355 cases of the B117 UK variant, 220 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 405 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 4,907,203 doses of vaccine; 365,166 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 50,194 tests the previous day. There have been 13,995,825 tests conducted so far. There are 34,746 tests under review.
  • There are 39 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 49 residents with an infection and 133 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,919 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario’s Auditor General has released a report today on the province’s handling of the pandemic in long term care. The report concludes the province failed to address shortcomings in terms of preparedness in the sector. Many of the shortcomings had been made public well before the beginning of the crisis in March 2020. It recommends the Ministry of Long Term Care get inspectors in the homes as a way to prevent future carnage. A second report from a government commission will be handed in on Friday and that will be followed by a report by the provincial ombudsman.
  • The province is allowing the transfer of hospital patients to long term care without prior consent in a bid to free up hospital beds.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 217 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 23,864 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 503, up five. There are 116 in hospital; 33 in intensive care. There are 2,363 active cases and there have been 20,998 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 14 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and six in schools and child-care centres. There are 18 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 343,759 doses of vaccine administered.
  • Ottawa’s Auditor General Nathalie Gougeon has a major review of the city’s response to COVID-19 on her to do list.
  • Quebec has now recorded 347,690 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,094 new cases today. So far 326,834 have recovered. The death toll is 10,908, up 10. The number in hospital is 643, down 24, with 161 in intensive care, down nine. The province completed 40,379 tests on April 26 for a total of 8,456,808. Quebec has injected 2,967,209 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,298,629 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 92 new cases of infection for a total of 11,169, along with a total of 194 deaths, up one. Some 10,234 cases have been resolved. There are 650 active cases. There have been 133,323 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. There are 56 in hospital in the Outaouais; seven in intensive care.
  • The curfew in Montreal and Laval will be pushed back to 9:30 p.m. from 8 p.m. starting on Monday. As well, elementary schools will reopen in Quebec City and the Chaudière-Appalaches region while secondary schools will remain closed.
  • Vaccines are now available to pregnant people in Quebec. 
  • Nunavut reports six new cases today.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting four new travel-related cases and PEI has two new cases.
  • As a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown begins, Nova Scotia has reported 75 new cases.
  • New Brunswick is reporting eight new cases.
  • Manitoba has added 189 cases and three more deaths today, two of which are people in their 20s.
  • Saskatchewan recorded 213 new cases and four more deaths.
  • Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says the province will send its share of Johnson & Johnson vaccines to two hard-hit communities — Banff and the Fort McMurray region. Alberta reported 1,839 new cases and six additional deaths. 
  • British Columbia says it is now offering three days of sick leave to workers so they can get a COVID-19 vaccination. A statement from the Ministry of Labour says amendments to the Employment Standards Act are now in effect, retroactive to April 19. The employer-paid leave covers full-time and part-time workers and the ministry says it ensures no employee will lose pay for taking time off to get vaccinated. British Columbia reported 841 new cases and five additional deaths today.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,202,737+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,117+ deaths from the infection and 1,095,266+ recoveries. There are 83,354+ active cases.
  • A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute shows just over half of the country deems the first federal budget in two years to be “more good than bad.” Canadians like the new taxes on foreign homebuyers and on luxury purchases such as planes and boats. The $10 a day child care program is back by 41 per cent of those surveyed. However the Liberal government has not gotten a bump in momentum or support. They have a slight but insignificant lead (34 per cent) over the Conservatives (32 per cent) among uninspired voters.
  • There have now been 148,841,378+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,138,503+ deaths and 86,356,642+ recoveries.
  • By the end of the year, people who test positive for COVID-19 could simply swallow a pill at home to treat their symptoms, according to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. The pharmaceutical company is in the middle of an early-stage clinical trial that is testing an antiviral therapy pill, administered orally, for the disease.

April 27

  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 452,126 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,265 cases today. The death toll rose by 29 to 7,964. There are 2,336 people in hospital, up 65, with 875 in intensive care, down two, and 589 on a ventilator, down 16. Today, the province says there are 1,044 new cases in Toronto, 673 in Peel, 452 in York Region, 171 in Durham and 150 in Ottawa. There has been a total of 404,248 resolved cases, up 3,908 today.
  • The province has now identified 57,423 cases of the B117 UK variant, 199 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 371 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India. More than 94,000 variants of concern have been detected in Canada, the vast majority being the B117 variant, which has now been found in 10 provinces and three territories.
  • Ontario has administered 4,791,030 doses of vaccine; 362,563 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 34,000 tests the previous day. There have been 13,945,631 tests conducted so far. There are 29,264 tests under review.
  • There are 36 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 44 residents with an infection and 131 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,917 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Despite calls for a provincial program from the Ontario science advisory table and health care professionals, Ontario is offering to double a federal sick-leave benefit if the federal government can administer the topped-up payment to workers in the province. The provincial finance minister has proposed the change in a letter to the federal government, saying the move would give $1,000 a week to eligible workers. The province has been critical of the federal program.
  • Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is working with Ontario on this idea, the prime minister said today. He also said the federal government would help once Ontario mandates that provincially regulated businesses will pay for sick leave.
  • Olympic Gold medalist Alex Kopacz from Ontario is warning others to take COVID-19 seriously after he was hospitalized with the disease and now has to use an oxygen unit while sleeping at home. CP24 has more.
  • The Canadian Armed Forces will send about 100 people in three medical teams to Ontario to support hospitals overwhelmed by COVID-19 following a request from the province. The troops being deployed are expected to number three dozen or more, and will include nurses and technicians who will help respond to the rising critical care caseload, particularly in the Greater Toronto area. The military also will help with logistics. Newfoundland and Labrador is sending nine health care professionals with more to come.
  • Two Ontario politicians are among several people charged for attending a large church service in Aylmer at the Church of God Restoration in defiance of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. MP Derek Sloan and MPP Randy Hillier, who both represent Kingston-area ridings as Independents, are scheduled to appear in Elgin County provincial offences court in June, CBC News has learned. 
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 144 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 23,647 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 498, up three There are 119 in hospital; 31 in intensive care. There are 2,453 active cases and there have been 20,696 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 14 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and six in schools and child-care centres. There are 18 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 328,527 doses of vaccine administered.
  • Ottawa residents aged 45 and older living in postal codes K1T, K1V and K2V can now book an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through the provincial booking system.
  • Quebec has now recorded 346,596 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 899 new cases today. So far 325,691 have recovered. The death toll is 10,898, up 12. The number in hospital is 667, up three, with 170 in intensive care, up three. The province completed 28,417 tests on April 25 for a total of 8,416,429. Quebec has injected 2,916,897 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,281,079 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 57 new cases of infection for a total of 11,077, along with a total of 193 deaths, up one. Some 10,234 cases have been resolved. There are 650 active cases. There have been 129,655 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. There are 56 in hospital in the Outaouais; seven in intensive care.
  • Quebec is reporting the death of a 54 year old woman from a rare blood clot. She is the first person in Canada to die after taking the AstraZeneca vaccine.
  • Premier Francois Legault said today that there is no leeway in Outaouais hospitals to allow current COVID restrictions to ease. He did say test positivity in the region is now about eight per cent, down from 10 per cent, but still making the region the most impacted by COVID-19’s surge in the province. He extended the restrictions here until at least May 9. These include an 8 p.m. curfew, the closure of schools and non-essential businesses to indoor shopping.
  • Airbus Canada says that several companies in the Mirabel area will be able to begin vaccinating their workers as well as their families and members of the local population on their premises. Quebec has announced plans for 20 to 50 similar hubs to open between May and June. The first hub to begin operation is located at CAE headquarters in the Saint-Laurent borough.
  • The federal government has tabled a back to work legislation to send striking workers at the Port of Montreal back to work.
  • Nunavut reports eight cases, all in Iqaluit.
  • Nova Scotia reported 96 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. There are now 419 active cases in the province. The federal government is sending 60 Canadian Forces personnel to help man COVID testing centres during the current surge. The premier has also announced a two-week provincewide circuit-breaker shutdown starting Wednesday with a focus on stopping indoor contacts. Essential retail and services are allowed to stay open. Travel for work and essential services are allowed but all other travel is prohibited. People are being asked to stay home.
  • New Brunswick is reporting the death of a person in their 20s, the youngest so far in the province. The province has also reported 24 new cases of infection.
  • Another 218 new infections have been reported in Manitoba, but no new deaths.
  • There are 224 new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, along with six new deaths today. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said his province has reached an arrangement with the state of North Dakota to see that state begin to vaccinate Saskatchewan truckers. The deal is similar to one reached with Manitoba this past week.
  • In Alberta, oilsands companies are struggling to contain the spread of COVID-19 among their transient workforces. As of Monday, Alberta Health reported 12 active outbreaks at work camps and mining sites across the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. A total of 2,054 workers had tested positive, with 738 active cases linked to the latest outbreaks. The regional municipality, which includes Fort McMurray, declared a state of local emergency on Monday because of climbing COVID-19 cases. The municipality of 83,000 has more than 1,100 active coronavirus cases as of Monday. All but a handful of them are directly in Fort McMurray. The province is reporting 1,539 and seven deaths.
  • Without details, Premier John Horgan said British Columbia is working on its own sick-leave program to “fill in the gaps” left by the federal government.  B.C. recorded another 799 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,194,989+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,065+ deaths from the infection and 1,086,611+ recoveries. There are 84,313+ active cases.
  • The federal government is sending $10 million to the Red Cross in India to help in the purchase of personal protective equipment.
  • There have now been 148,051,441+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,124,580+ deaths and 85,677,201+ recoveries.
  • In new guidance, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says fully vaccinated people can gather safely outdoors without masks in small groups. The new guidance is part of an update from the agency on what activities are safest for Americans. Fully vaccinated means two weeks out from the last dose of COVID-19 vaccine. People who are fully vaccinated should also feel comfortable without face coverings outside with other small groups when it’s unclear whether others have had their shots.

April 26

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 190 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 23,503 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 495, up five There are 108 in hospital; 27 in intensive care. There are 2,682 active cases and there have been 20,326 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 14 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and five in schools and child-care centres. There are 18 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 328,527 doses of vaccine administered.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 448,861 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,510 cases today. The death toll rose by 24 to 7,935. There are 2,271 people in hospital, up 145, with 877 in intensive care, up 26, and 605 on a ventilator, up nine. Today, the province says there are 1,015 new cases in Toronto, 909 in Peel, 391 in York Region, 244 in Durham and 206 in Ottawa. There has been a total of 400,340 resolved cases, up 4,057 today.
  • The province has now identified 54,436 cases of the B117 UK variant, 162 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 351 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 4,696,211 doses of vaccine; 361,166 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 33,822 tests the previous day. There have been 13,911,631 tests conducted so far. There are 17,369 tests under review.
  • There are 35 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 48 residents with an infection and 133 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,914 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • A 13 year old Brampton girl, Emily Viegas, has died of COVID-19. Her mother is in an intensive Care unit and her brother is at home recovering from a case. Her father is the only one to escape infection. So far, eight people under age 20 have died. Her death was acknowledged with a moment of silence in the legislature.
  • Ontario’s chief coroner, Dr. Dirk Huyer, says that 27 people have died at home from COVID-19 without seeking medical help. Research is underway to understand why this is happening.
  • Nine health care workers are on their way to Ontario from Newfoundland and Labrador. This group includes the wife of the premier, Dr. Allison Furey, who is a critical care physician. They will work with the University Health Network after they arrive on Tuesday. This will be the first of two groups.
  • The Ontario government is requesting help from the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Red Cross to help manage the crisis in critical care in hospitals and the health-care system
  • Quebec has now recorded 345,697 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 889 new cases today. So far 324,441 have recovered. The death toll is 10,886, up eight. The number in hospital is 664, up 10, with 167 in intensive care, up two. The province completed 28,133 tests on April 24 for a total of 8,388,012. Quebec has injected 2,871,140 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,066,969 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 50 new cases of infection for a total of 11,020, along with a total of 192 deaths, up one. Some 10,111 cases have been resolved. There are 717 active cases. There have been 127,700 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew. There are 55 in hospital in the Outaouais; five in intensive care.
  • Workers have shutdown the Port of Montreal, one of Canada’s busiest and most important. The federal government is expected.
  • Nunavut is reporting nine new cases all in the capital, Iqaluit. Meanwhile, the Northwest Territories are awaiting test results from 90 people identified as contacts to a cluster of five COVID-19 cases in Yellowknife.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting four new cases of COVID-19 on Monday.
  • Nova Scotia reported 66 new cases of COVID-19 Monday — the highest case count recorded since the pandemic began. The province has 323 active cases.
  • New Brunswick announced seven new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. The province has also confirmed its first case of the B1617 variant first detected in India.
  • Manitoba is imposing restrictions that will extend past the May 24 weekend because of accelerating new cases caused by variants. The restrictions include such things as no indoor gatherings. Families are asked to only socialize with their household. Church services will be limited to 10 people wearing masks. Stores are allowed to stay open but capacity limits are 25 per cent. Hair salons and other personal care services are allowed at reduced capacity. The goal is to limit contacts. The province reported 210 new cases and one more death.
  • Saskatchewan added 245 cases on Monday, along with one new death.
  • Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro said the province will be offering vaccines to 15,000 workers at 136 federal and provincial meat-packing plants starting this week. Premier Jason Kenney later announced that restrictions at long-term care centres will ease, allowing each resident to designate up to four friends or family members are designated visitors starting May 10. Alberta reported 1,495 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, along with seven deaths. 
  • British Columbia recorded 2,491 cases of COVID-19 over the weekend and 17 more deaths.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,187,908+ confirmed cases. There have been 24,023+ deaths from the infection and 1,075,611+ recoveries. There are 86,229+ active cases.
  • Canada is expected to get almost two million doses of vaccine this week; one million from Pfizer, 650,000 doses of Moderna and 350,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson.
  • There have now been 146,588,850+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,101,964+ deaths and 84,461,134+ recoveries.
  • The U.S. will begin sharing its entire pipeline of vaccines from AstraZeneca once the COVID-19 vaccine clear American safety reviews, the White House says with up to 60 million doses expected to be available for export in coming months.
  • The European Union is at an advanced stage of talks with the U.S. over mutually recognizing vaccine passports to boost transatlantic tourism this summer, the Guardian reports.
  • The European Union is also suing the makers of the AstraZeneca vaccine for delays in delivery of doses.
  • Nomadland wins best picture at the virtual Oscars Sunday night. Frances McDormand won best actress and director Chloe Zhao took the best director Oscar.

April 25

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 227 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 23,313 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 490, up two. There are 104 in hospital; 25 in intensive care. There are 2,787 active cases and there have been 20,036 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 14 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and four in schools and child-care centres. There are 18 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 302,901 doses of vaccine administered. The city has received 307,470.
  • Some Ottawa family doctors vaccinated hundreds of people on Saturday after organizing a drive-thru clinic. CTV has more.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 445,351 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,947 cases today. The death toll rose by 24 to 7,911. There are 2,126 people in hospital, down 151, with 851 in intensive care, up 18, and 596 on a ventilator, down four. Today, the province says there are 1,136 new cases in Toronto, 901 in Peel, 406 in York Region, 209 in Ottawa and 207 in Durham. There has been a total of 396,283 resolved cases, up 4,239 today.
  • The province has now identified 52,398 cases of the B117 UK variant, 164 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 347 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36+ cases of the B1617 variant of interest first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 4,626,903 doses of vaccine; 360,354 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 46,694 tests the previous day. There have been 13,877,809 tests conducted so far. There are 25,641 tests under review.
  • There are 34 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 49 residents with an infection and 135 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,913 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario’s Ministry of Long Term Care announced Saturday that it will waive fees for hospital patients who agree to take a spot in a home that may not be their first choice until they’re placed in the facility they want. The ministry also announced it was relaxing staffing rules instituted earlier in the pandemic, saying long-term care staff who are fully vaccinated are no longer limited to working in just one facility.
  • Peel Region has partially closed two Amazon fulfilment centres west of Toronto. The closures were permitted under new regional measures that grant the power to temporarily shut down workplaces where five or more COVID-19 cases have surfaced within 14 days.
  • Health care workers protested at Queen’s Park on Sunday to demand that the Ontario government take an evidence-based approach to dealing with the pandemic. The demonstration was organized by Health Providers Against Poverty, the Toronto Street Nurses Network and the Decent Work and Health Network. The workers said they want 10 permanent sick days paid by employers for all workers yearly and an additional 14 days in a public health emergency; a pandemic response that puts an emphasis on public health instead of policing and vaccination of essential workers, including those who are uninsured and undocumented, and vaccination of residents of hotspots and marginalized communities.
  • Quebec has now recorded 344,808 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,014 new cases today. So far 323,086 have recovered. The death toll is 10,878, up nine. The number in hospital is 654, down eight, with 165 in intensive care, down 16. The province completed 38,098 tests on April 23 for a total of 8,359,979. Quebec has injected 2,828,484 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,066,969 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 83 new cases of infection for a total of 10,970, along with a total of 191 deaths. Some 10,008 cases have been resolved. There are 771 active cases. There have been 125,085 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew. There are 55 in hospital in the Outaouais; five in intensive care.
  • Two new cases of COVID-19 are being reported in Newfoundland and Labrador on Sunday, bringing the number of active cases in the province to 25. Both cases are related to travel from within Canada.
  • Nova Scotia reported 63 new cases of COVID-19, the highest single-day figure recorded in the province since the onset of the global pandemic. 
  • New Brunswick is reporting four new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday. There are 130 active cases in the province
  • Manitoba reported 259 new cases of COVID-19, while Saskatchewan added 249 new cases.
  • Alberta Health reported 1,437 new cases and three more deaths 
  • So far Canada has seen 1,178,987+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,965+ deaths from the infection and 1,067,501+ recoveries. There are 86,371+ active cases.
  • U.S. taxi and limousine services are seeing a boom in business from customers seeking to enter Canada by land to avoid a restriction on international travel that applies only to air traffic. While both Canadian land and air travellers are required to take a test within three days of departure, and again on arrival, only those flying to Canada must spend up to three days of the country’s 14-day required quarantine period in a hotel.
  • There have now been 146,588,850+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,101,964+ deaths and 84,461,134+ recoveries.

April 24

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 146 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 23,086 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 488, up two. There are 105 in hospital; 22 in intensive care. There are 2,869 active cases and there have been 19,729 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 15 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 12 in schools and child-care centres. There are 20 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 302,901 doses of vaccine administered. The city has received 307,470.
  • The Ottawa Hospital is opening a new 55-bed off-site transitional care unit the first week of May at West End Villa. It will be a place for patients to transition to long-term care or other care in the community.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 441,404 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,094 cases today. The death toll rose by 24 to 7,887. There are 2,277 people in hospital, down 10, with 833 in intensive care, up 15, and 600 on a ventilator, up seven. Today, the province says there are 1,191 new cases in Toronto, 1,014 in Peel, 406 in York Region, 226 in Niagara and 199 in Durham. There has been a total of 392,044 resolved cases, up 4,332 today.
  • The province has now identified 49,860 cases of the B117 UK variant, 150 cases of the B1351 South African variant, 267 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant and 36 cases of the B1617 variant first identified in India.
  • Ontario has administered 4,527,368 doses of vaccine; 358,776 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 52,160 tests the previous day. There have been 13,831,115 tests conducted so far. There are 31,933 tests under review.
  • There are 34 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 49 residents with an infection and 135 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,913 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario’s COVID-19 science advisory table is encouraging a shift in the province’s vaccine strategy, saying allocating shots based on transmission rate rather than age group would considerably reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.
  • Quebec has now recorded 343,794 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,106 new cases today. So far 321,667 have recovered. The death toll is 10,869, up nine. The number in hospital is 662, down 22, with 181 in intensive care, up nine. The province completed 40,928 tests on April 22 for a total of 8,291,881. Quebec has injected 2,763,535 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,066,969 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 96 new cases of infection for a total of 10,887, along with a total of 191 deaths, up four. Some 9,888 cases have been resolved. There are 808 active cases. There have been 121,666 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew. There are 57 in hospital in the Outaouais; seven in intensive care.
  • Montreal police say they found around 350 people gathered at a synagogue in Outremont on Friday evening. Police say no tickets were issued, but a report was filed with the prosecution service for a decision on charges.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,169,781+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,916+ deaths from the infection and 1,058,675+ recoveries. There are 86,355+ active cases.
  • There have now been five reported cases of “vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT)”, in Canada among the more than 1.1 million dose s of AstraZeneca that have been administered. The latest, a Hamilton man in his 60s, is hospitalized. The others are recovering at home.
  • There have now been 145,774,566+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,089,293+ deaths and 83,924,706+ recoveries.

April 23

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 254 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 22,940 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 486. There are 119 in hospital; 27 in intensive care. There are 3,071 active cases and there have been 19,383 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 17 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 15 in schools and child-care centres. There are 20 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 302,901 doses of vaccine administered. The city has received 307,470.
  • The City of Ottawa’s finance and economic development committee approved a framework for a property tax discount on Friday aimed at helping small businesses hard hit by the pandemic. Large businesses will be taxed at a slightly higher rate to make up for any shortfall. The city move follows a decision by the province to allow municipalities to create a new tax subclass for small business property owners, allowing them to pay a lower rate than their larger counterparts.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 437,310 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,505 cases today. The death toll rose by 34 to 7,863. There are 2,287 people in hospital, down 63, with 818 in intensive care, up 12, and 593 on a ventilator, up five. Today, the province says there are 1,257 new cases in Toronto, 1,232 in Peel, 412 in York Region, 247 in Ottawa and 224 in Durham. There has been a total of 387,712 resolved cases, up 4,698 today.
  • The province has now identified 46,905 cases of the B117 UK variant, 134 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 224 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has now detected 36 cases of the B1617 variant first identified in India, the province’s public health agency said Friday. Public Health Ontario says six of the cases were detected through its genomics surveillance program and related to international travel. The other 30 cases were detected through Ontario’s COVID-19 airport and land border screening program, with testing done at the national microbiology lab in Winnipeg. “All of theses cases were identified in the last few days,” the agency said.
  • Ontario has administered 4,400,674 doses of vaccine; 355,208 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 56,206 tests the previous day. There have been 13,778,955 tests conducted so far. There are 31,363 tests under review.
  • There are 30 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 42 residents with an infection and 120 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,913 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario has confirmed two cases of a rare blood clot that has been connected to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Both cases involve men in their 60s who received a first dose of vaccine. They are recovering at home; one in Hamilton and the other unknown.
  • Pregnant people are now a priority for vaccines in the province. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said that the change was made in light of “emerging data on the increased risk of severe illness” for pregnant people.
  • Ontario health officials are now investigating an alarming new trend of people with COVID-19 who are rapidly deteriorating and dying before seeking medical care, the chief coroner and co-ordinator of the province’s outbreak response team says.
  • People living in Ontario are not only most likely to say that this latest outbreak of the novel coronavirus was ‘preventable’ (69 per cent) but also that their provincial government is primarily to blame for not preventing it (43 per cent), new data from the Angus Reid Institute says. Fewer than one-third (31 per cent) feel Premier Doug Ford is doing a good job handling the pandemic, while 67 per cent say he is doing a poor job. He is not the only premier to be on the receiving end of his constituents’ disappointment. One-quarter of those in Alberta say Premier Jason Kenney is doing a good job (26 per cent) and fewer than three-in-10 say the same for Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister (28 per cent).
  • Quebec has now recorded 342,688 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,043 new cases today. So far 320,302 have recovered. The death toll is 10,860, up 15. The number in hospital is 684, down 27, with 172 in intensive care, down two. The province completed 46,993 tests on April 21 for a total of 8,250,953. Quebec has injected 2,679,907 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,066,969 doses have been received in total. The province administered a record-breaking 90,225 doses in one day.
  • The Outaouais reported 54 new cases of infection for a total of 10,791, along with a total of 187 deaths, up one. Some 9,575 cases have been resolved. There are 975 active cases. There have been 112,132 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew. There are 58 in hospital in the Outaouais; six in intensive care.
  • The Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) de l’Outaouais says a COVID-19 outbreak is underway at the Pontiac Hospital in Shawville in the 37-bed short-stay unit. According to the CISSS de l’Outaouais, nine patients and less than five employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Expanded screening is underway to get a full picture of the outbreak situation.
  • The province says it wants to get residents in in long term care CHSLDs fully vaccinated by May 8. This may mean some will get a different mRNA vaccine. The move has been prompted by the shortage of Moderna doses coming into Canada and by the risks posed to seniors who are more prone to infection even after being vaccinated, as evidence by deadly outbreaks in two Quebec City homes. Some experts suspect getting a different type of COVID-19 vaccine for the second dose could stimulate immune cells to tackle variants of concern.
  • British Columbia has formally announced its restrictions limiting travel between three health regions to essential purposes such as work and for medical appointments until after the Victoria holiday weekend in May. British Columbia reported another 1,001 new cases and four new deaths today
  • Nunavut has reported nine new cases today.
  • Nova Scotia reported 44 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the province’s total known active caseload to 150.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador reports one more case today.
  • Manitoba is reporting 181 new cases of COVID-19 today, along with two more deaths.
  • Saskatchewan reported 245 new cases of COVID-19 along with one death.
  • Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro says the United Conservative Party government won’t rule out further health restrictions as COVID-19 case numbers soar, but will wait to see data and consider recommendations for now. Meanwhile the province identified 1,690 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, along with five more deaths.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,164,581+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,883+ deaths from the infection and 1,054,343+ recoveries. There are 86,355+ active cases.
  • The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is saying that the AstraZeneca vaccine can be administer to people 30 and up.
  • Canada’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Theresa Tam says data is showing the lockdowns have begun to slow down the surge in new cases of COVID-19. Tam added that if 75 per cent of the population has received its first dose, the strictest restrictions could be lifted this summer.
  • The federal government is “strongly” advising Canadians against travel internationally and domestically.
  • Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau have been given their first dose of AstraZeneca today at an Ottawa pharmacy. The prime minister received his shot in the centre of a tattoo on his shoulder.
  • Health Canada has accepted Medicago‘s application for a real-time review of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, the drug developer said on Friday. Canadian-based Medicago is conducting a late-stage study of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine that is combined with a booster from GlaxoSmithKline.
  • The government has reached a deal with Pfizer to provide 65 million booster shots, 35 million in 2022 and 30 million in 2023, with an option for more in 2024 and beyond. These shots are being upgraded to combat variants of concern.
  • There have now been 144,979,282+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,076,484+ deaths and 83,339,814+ recoveries.
  • The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration are recommending continued use of the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine for those 18 and over with a warning that the dose can rarely cause a dangerous form of blood clot. Canada will receive 300,000 doses of this vaccine next week. Health Canada says it is approved for use in Canada.

April 22

  • Starting tonight, the federal government has banned flights from India and Pakistan from landing in Canada for the next 30 days. The federal government is also requiring incoming passengers travelling from India and Pakistan on non-direct flights must have a negative COVID test taken at the last point of departure before entering. The government says that many passengers landing in Canada from the sub-continent are testing positive for COVID-19 — enough to impose a ban. Other countries such as the United Kingdom have also imposed flight bans.
  • A teary Ontario Premier Doug Ford admitted this morning that “we got it wrong” with some of the COVID-19 measures imposed last Friday. He also talked about being in isolation and able to continue working and then promised to bring in a sick leave program for essential workers in the coming days. He was not specific about what would be in the program.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 432,805 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,682 cases today. The death toll rose by 40 to 7,829. There are 2,350 people in hospital, up 15, with 806 in intensive care, up 16, and 588 on a ventilator, up 22. Today, the province says there are 1,131 new cases in Toronto, 507 in Peel, 436 in York Region, 279 in Ottawa and 200 in Durham. There has been a total of 383,014 resolved cases, up 4,597 today.
  • The province has now identified 44,205 cases of the B117 UK variant, 113 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 218 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 4,266,802 doses of vaccine; 351,354 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 54,246 tests the previous day. There have been 13,722,749 tests conducted so far. There are 33,327 tests under review.
  • There are 37 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 42 residents with an infection and 135 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,912 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 281 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 22,686 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 486, up two. There are 120 in hospital; 29 in intensive care. There are 3,179 active cases and there have been 19,021 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 17 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 15 in schools and child-care centres. There are 20 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 284,597 doses of vaccine administered. The city has received 305,130.
  • Ottawa high risk obstetrician and researcher Dr. Mark Walker admits he is terrified by the number of pregnant women ending up in intensive care units across the province with COVID-19 — including in Ottawa. “There have never been this many pregnant women in ICU in the history of our country, or our province. This is unprecedented.” The Ottawa Citizen has more.
  • Quebec has now recorded 341,645 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,248 new cases today. So far 318,676 have recovered. The death toll is 10,845, up seven. The number in hospital is 711, down five, with 174 in intensive care, down four. The province completed 46,306 tests on April 20 for a total of 8,203,960. Quebec has injected 2,589,682 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,066,969 doses have been received in total. The province administered a record-breaking 84,837 doses in one day.
  • The Outaouais reported 135 new cases of infection for a total of 10,737, along with a total of 187 deaths, up one. Some 9,454 cases have been resolved. There are 962 active cases. There have been 112,132 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew. There are 58 in hospital in the Outaouais; six in intensive care.
  • Quebec is expanding vaccination to more people with chronic illnesses, including diabetes, obesity and respiratory problems, along with those who have intellectual or physical disabilities. Appointments for the former start Friday morning, for the latter April 28.
  • Nunavut reports three new cases.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 38 new cases today, the most since November. After announcing border restrictions earlier, Premier Iain Rankin announced more restrictions today starting with a four week circuit-breaker lockdown in the Halifax metropolitan region, including urging no non-essential travel outside the region and returning some schools to online learning. Gatherings will be set at five people. Businesses will be at 25 per cent capacity and restaurants are back to take-out only.
  • PEI is reporting one new case.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador reports three new cases.
  • New Brunswick is reporting 19 new cases today including nine in a long term care home.
  • Manitoba recorded its highest single-day new case count of COVID-19 infections since the second wave on Thursday with 261 new infections. One more death was reported.
  • Saskatchewan reported 254 cases on Thursday, along with one new death.
  • Alberta has confirmed 1,857 new cases along with six more deaths. The province has also confirmed its first case of the B1617 variant first detected in India.
  • British Columbia is reporting 1,006 new cases today, along with four new deaths.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,155,834+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,822+ deaths from the infection and 1,041,205+ recoveries. There are 89,167+ active cases.
  • As the company improves its manufacturing process and review process, Moderna will only deliver 650,000 doses next week, the federal government announced today, instead of the 1.2 million doses promised. And expected doses of AstraZeneca vaccine shipped from India are not expected to arrive next week. Pfizer, meanwhile, is sticking to its planned delivery of a million doses next week and two million doses weekly in May and 2.4 million weekly in June. As previously indicated, 300,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will land in Canada next week for distribution in the first week of May. Almost 14 million doses have been distributed to the provinces.
  • There have now been 143,962,157+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,061,478+ deaths and 82,537,200+ recoveries.
  • Two reports of so-called coronavirus breakthrough infections — in which fully vaccinated people get the illness anyway — suggest that the vaccines still offer strong protection against severe disease even in the face of variants.
  • India has reported a single day world record of more than 314,000 new confirmed cases. It has seen 15,930,965+ cases and 184,657+ deaths.

April 21

  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 429,123 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,212 cases today. The death toll rose by 32 to 7,789. There are 2,335 people in hospital, down 35, with 790 in intensive care, up 17, and 566 on a ventilator, up 29. Today, the province says there are 1,249 new cases in Toronto, 771 in Peel, 386 in York Region, 276 in Hamilton and 214 in Durham. There has been a total of 378,417 resolved cases, up 4,204 today.
  • The province has now identified 41,395 cases of the B117 UK variant, 108 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 212 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 4,131,882 doses of vaccine; 349,396 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 51,877 tests the previous day. There have been 13,668,503 tests conducted so far. There are 32,119 tests under review.
  • There are 34 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 37 residents with an infection and 122 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,912 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Hospitals in Northern Ontario are to suspend non-emergency surgeries. The move is being made is to increase capacity in the provincial health-care system. Hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area are transferring dozens of patients every day. Patients are being moved mostly by land ambulances, but also by its helicopters and airplanes. Patients are being transferred from hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area to facilities in Kingston, London, St. Catharines, Barrie, Peterborough, Ottawa and Sudbury. A total of 2,059 patients have been transferred since mid-November. Hundreds more will be moved in coming weeks.
  • Talks are happening between the provincial government and the Registered Nurses’ Union of Newfoundland and Labrador to fulfil Premier Andrew Furey’s promise to send help to Ontario. About 30 nurses will be chosen from a pool of volunteers in the Western, Central and Eastern Health regions of the province. A key deciding factor will be making sure that freeing up those nurses doesn’t affect the patients, staff or operations they are temporarily leaving behind. 
  • Premier Doug Ford is self-isolating after a close contact with a staffer with COVID-19. The premier hs so far tested negative for the infection.
  • The government is signalling it is now open to offering some form of sick leave to workers after immense public pressure for such a measure, including from many doctors and scientists.
  • Toronto Mayor John Tory has announced that the city will intensify vaccinations by mobile clinics in 13 of its hottest hot spots and will also increase available vaccine doses in city vaccination clinics.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 181 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 22,405 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 484, up one. There are 118 in hospital; 27 in intensive care. There are 3,239 active cases and there have been 18,682 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 17 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 15 in schools and child-care centres. There are 19 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 284,597 doses of vaccine administered. The city has received 305,130.
  • Ottawa police have suspended 24/7 roadchecks between Ottawa and Gatineau for health, traffic and safety reasons. Instead the force will start rotating its officers on a daily basis at the five interprovincial bridges and two ferries. This will stop after the province’s order expires, say police.
  • In a media briefing, officials including Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly and Dr. Vera Etches said the city was not defying the provincial stay at home restrictions; instead, in Sloly’s words, the city is “customizing the response.”
  • Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said he is encouraging the province to consult with mayors and other officials before imposing restrictions that have different impacts in different communities.
  • Ottawa’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Vera Etches, said during a media briefing today that variants of concern now make up 100 per cent of the viruses found in the city’s wastewater. She said she has asked business that have two cases of COVID-19 occurring within a short period of time to contact Ottawa Public Health. She said Ottawa does not have the same number of large essential workplaces as places such as Peel Region and Toronto and at this time will not follow the lead of those regions which have imposed Section 22 closure orders on businesses with five or more employees infected.
  • Etches however said the Ontario government should shutdown all non-essential businesses, including retail for curbside pickup, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
  • Staff told a meeting of the city’s Transit Commission that 106 employees of OC Transpo’s workforce of 3,000 have tested positive since the pandemic began. The number of positive cases has climbed by 35 since the last monthly update on March 17. The commission approved a motion by Coun. Glen Gower, asking Dr. Vera Etches to emphasize to the vaccination team the essential role transit employees play during the pandemic.
  • Quebec has now recorded 340,397 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,217 new cases today. So far 317,338 have recovered. The death toll is 10,838, up five. The number in hospital is 716, up 22, with 178 in intensive care, up one. The province completed 44,311 tests on April 19 for a total of 8,157,654. Quebec has injected 2,503,910 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,066,969 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 101 new cases of infection for a total of 10,602, along with a total of 186 deaths, up one. Some 9,304 cases have been resolved. There are 1,012 active cases. There have been 107,151 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew. There are 57 in hospital in the Outaouais; seven in intensive care.
  • Quebec has identified its first case of the B.1.617 variant which originated in India and is believed to be fuelling the pandemic surge in that country. British Columbia has confirmed 39 cases of this variant. The case was identified in a patient in the Haute-Mauricie region of Quebec, north of Trois-Rivières. It is believed to be the first case of this variant identified in Canada. The patient tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago. The patient was vaccinated two months ago. Officials are not certain how the variant was introduced into Quebec.
  • Nunavut has added one more case in Iqaluit.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador reports one travel-related case.
  • New Brunswick is reporting seven new cases and one more death today.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting 25 new cases today. The province now has 79 active cases. Because of rising case numbers, the province is cancelling the women’s world hockey championship for the second time, just one day after the province’s top doctor said he was confident about the tournament’s safety protocols.
  • Manitoba reported 164 new cases of COVID-19 and one death today.
  • There are 231 new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, along with four more deaths.
  • The Alberta government has passed legislation to give workers three hours of paid leave so they can get the COVID-19 vaccine without losing wages. The province reported another 1,699 new cases Wednesday. No deaths were reported.
  • British Columbia reported another seven deaths and 862 new cases on Wednesday.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,147,463+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,763+ deaths from the infection and 1,034,533+ recoveries. There are 89,167+ active cases.
  • Canada is extending the use of quarantine hotels for international air travellers another month. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that could include barring incoming flights from specific countries, such as India.
  • Dr. Theresa Tam says the Public Health Agency of Canada is reviewing information on the pandemic in India and the emergence of a new variant of interest called B.1.617 which is showing signs of similarity with other variants of concern such as B1117 with an eye to possible limiting flights from the country.
  • According to the federal government, there have been 35 flights from India with at least one case of COVID-19 that have arrived in Canada in the last two weeks.
  • Dr. Tam also told reporters she has now been vaccinated with a first dose.
  • Meanwhile new research suggests more than half the imported variants of COVID-19 that led to outbreaks in this country likely came from the United States, with Russia, India, Italy and the U.K. following well back as sources of imported virus, scientists from B.C., Ontario and Arizona have concluded.
  • In Canada, 70,300 cases of infection are variants of concern with the B117 variant making up 96 per cent of these.
  • The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has received new information which has delayed their decision about use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Deputy Director of Public Health for Canada, Dr. Howard Njoo, told reporters today. NACI is examining the impact of allowing people 40 and up to get this vaccine.
  • The Consumer Price Index rose 2.2 per cent on a year-over-year basis in March, up from a 1.1 per cent gain in February, Statistics Canada says. A significant proportion of this increase was attributable to a steep decline in prices in March 2020, as the monthly CPI rose 0.5 per cent in March 2021.
  • The Bank of Canada predicts gross domestic product will grow at 6.5 per cent this year, compared with a previous estimate of four per cent. The surge wuill be led by household consumption, housing, exports and extraordinary government spending. That means the economy is on track to fill in the massive hole left by the COVID recession by the end of the year. It is keeping its trendsetting rate at .25 per cent for the time being.
  • The bank says it expects the United States economy will expand seven per cent this year and China’s will grow 9.5 per cent, upward revisions from five per cent and 8.4 per cent, respectively. Demand from the world’s two economic superpowers has pushed commodity prices higher and implies strong orders for the kinds of goods and services that Canada produces. This will likely lead to higher interest rates, the bank says.
  • The Canadian Football League says the regular season is targeted to begin Aug. 5, subject to the pandemic. The Grey Cup will move to Dec. 12 in Hamilton. There will be 14 games down from 18.
  • There have now been 143,117,764+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,047,645+ deaths and 82,039,293+ recoveries.
  • The United States is reaching 200 million vaccine doses administered today, President Joe Biden said as he also announced a tax credit for companies that give employees time off to get vaccinated and to recover from the shot. Canada has vaccinated about 10.68 million people.
  • After a 30 minute conversation today with Justin Trudeau, Biden said the U.S. should be able to help supply Canada with more vaccines, but didn’t indicate when that might be concluded. The U.S. does have a stockpile of AstraZeneca vaccine doses that have not been approved for use yet.
  • The European Commission is expected to turn down an option for 300 the doses after opting to distance itself from the two jabs in recent weeks. Brussels is furious that Anglo-Swedish drugs giant AstraZeneca has not delivered enough doses of its Oxford-produced shot to member states. And has now decided that it will only opt to buy up COVID-19 vaccines that use the mRNA technology – such as Pfizer and Modern.
  • The U.K. is adding India to its “red list” of countries from which it bars incoming flights. India has reported more than 250,000 new cases of COVID-19 daily this week. Its hospitals are full and the death toll is piling up. Doctors are investigating whether another new variant, known as B.1.617, may be part of the reason. India has seen 15,616,130+ cases and 1982,553+ deaths. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advised state governments against imposing a harsh lockdown in favor of micro-containment zones as he sought to avoid another economic slump.

April 20

  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 424,911 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,469 cases today. The death toll rose by 22 to 7,757. There are 2,360 people in hospital, up 158, with 773 in intensive care, up 18, and 537 on a ventilator, up 21. Today, the province says there are 1,074 new cases in Toronto, 775 in Peel, 406 in York Region, 256 in Durham and 197 in Ottawa. There has been a total of 374,213 resolved cases, up 3,369 today.
  • The province has now identified 39,276 cases of the B117 UK variant, 105 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 211 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 3,995,187 doses of vaccine; 347,597 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 40,596 tests the previous day. There have been 13,576,030 tests conducted so far. There are 21,512 tests under review.
  • There are 36 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 38 residents with an infection and 128 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,912 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Peel Public Health has ordered all businesses with five or more cases of COVID-19 infection in the past two weeks to close for 10 days. The directive is a Section 22 order, which falls under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. It allows Peel to close workplaces while investigations into cases and sources of transmission are under way. The names of the shuttered businesses will be published on Peel’s website after they’ve been notified. Peel Public Health is “strongly recommending” that employers directed to close provide paid leave for employees.
  • Toronto has said it will adopt a similar Section 22 order.
  • Six people who were at the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital north of Toronto were mistakenly injected with saline solution instead of the Pfizer vaccine. A statement from Mackenzie Health on Monday said the incident happened on March 28.
  • The Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) is demanding better personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect its members from the aerosol and asymptomatic spread of COVID-19. The union wants the province to explicitly acknowledge that the virus can be transmitted through the air, that asymptomatic transmission occurs and that nurses need the highest level of precaution available.
  • The Ontario Hockey League has cancelled its season because of the COVID-19 surge in the province.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 186 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 22,224 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 483, up one. There are 136 in hospital; 34 in intensive care. There are 3,360 active cases and there have been 18,381 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 17 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 14 in schools and child-care centres. There are 19 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 267,982 doses of vaccine administered. The city has received 279,390.
  • Ottawa’s medical officer of health says anyone over the age of two will have to wear masks within five metres of any sort of playground equipment, including swings, slides and sandboxes starting Wednesday.
  • Members of the Ottawa Board of Health passed a motion at a Monday evening meeting to ask Premier Doug Ford to review those businesses and services still with employees who cannot work from home. The board’s letter will ask that anything beyond medical, pharmacy or grocery services should close during the stay-at-home order including certain construction projects.
  • In Ottawa, eligible people over age 40 are lining up to get the AstraZeneca vaccine.
  • Quebec has now recorded 339,180 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,136 new cases today. So far 315,984 have recovered. The death toll is 10,833, up 17. The number in hospital is 694, up eight, with 177 in intensive care, down six. The province completed 28,568 tests on April 18 for a total of 8,113,343. Quebec has injected 2,448,409 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 3,042,405 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 111 new cases of infection for a total of 10,501, along with a total of 185 deaths. Some 9,149 cases have been resolved. There are 1,056 active cases. There have been 103,567 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • Quebec is opening up AstraZeneca vaccines to people 45 and up. (Ontario, B.C. Alberta and Manitoba allow 40 and up).
  • The province is extending emergency measures until at least May 3. The province says hospitalizations in Quebec City, the Outaouais and Chaudiere-Appalaches are worrisome. There are 57 in hospital in the Outaouais; seven in intensive care.
  • Nunavut is reporting five new cases, three in Iqaluit and two in Cape Dorset.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting two new cases
  • Nova Scotia is reporting nine new cases. The province is restricting travel to and from the province.
  • New Brunswick is reporting its first cases of a rare blood clot connected to the AstraZeneca vaccine. The individual is being treated for the condition. There were no new confirmed cases in the province today; the first time in a month. There are 39 active cases.
  • Manitoba is announcing a cross border plan with the U.S. state of North Dakota to vaccinate up to 4,000 truck drivers from the province. The first clinic will set up Wednesday at a rest stop just across the border in North Dakota. Premier Brian Pallister said he hopes the agreement will offer an incentive for other such agreements and may lead to the safe reopening of the Canada-U.S. border. Governor Doug Burgum said his state is in a position to start sharing vaccines with other jurisdictions. Burgum said that talks are underway with Saskatchewan. The province is reporting 211 cases today.
  • A  woman is facing thousands of dollars in fines after throwing two parties at her Thompson, Manitoba apartment less than 24 hours apart despite rules banning large gatherings. 
  • There are 249 new cases of COVID-19 to report in Saskatchewan.
  • Alberta identified 1,345 new cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths from the disease.
  • The British Columbia government plans to spend $8.7 billion over three years on infrastructure as well as on supports for families and businesses to build a post-pandemic economic recovery. Finance Minister Selina Robinson said Tuesday the deficit for the 2021-22 budget is projected to be $9.7 billion, lower than the $13.6 billion forecast because of higher than expected revenues and lower government spending. The budget forecasts three consecutive years of billion-dollar deficits and rising debt. The province could possibly return to balanced books in seven to nine years’ time, Robinson said. The province saw 849 new cases of COVID-19 today and one more death.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,138,806+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,713+ deaths from the infection and 1,024,766+ recoveries. There are 87,929+ active cases.
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is now eligible to receive a vaccine and will seek an appointment for an AstraZeneca injection.
  • Canada has extended the restrictions on the U.S. border until May 21. International travel accounts for less than two per cent of cases in Canada, the prime minister says.
  • The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has cancelled a briefing that had been set to update its perspective on the AstraZeneca vaccine.
  • There have now been 142,237,637+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,033,084+ deaths and 81,435,023+ recoveries.
  • India has reported 1,761 deaths from COVID-19 overnight, its highest daily toll, with large parts of the country now under lockdown as a second wave has left people fighting for hospital beds, oxygen and medicines. India is in its biggest public health emergency after it lowered its guard when infections fell to a multi-month low in February, health experts and officials say. Diagnostics firms are said to be nearing a breaking point in cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai. India has now seen 15,321,089+ and 180,530+ deaths

April 19

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 203 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 22,038 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 482. There are 131 in hospital; 34 in intensive care. There are 3,412 active cases and there have been 18,144 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 16 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 12 in schools and child-care centres. There are 15 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 267,982 doses of vaccine administered. The city has received 279,390.
  • CBC reports that a sharp climb in the number of OC Transpo drivers testing positive for COVID-19 is prompting employees and their union leadership to demand more protective measures, including the return of rear-bus boarding and accelerated vaccinations.
  • Spring break is over and Ontario students are once again learning online.
  • Drivers hoping to cross the Ontario-Quebec border this morning were met with kilometres-long lines in some places as police checkpoints to limit non-essential travel began. The afternoon rush hour was not as snarled by the checkpoints.
  • Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly told CTV enforcing checkpoints on the interprovincial crossings between Quebec and Ontario is not sustainable for the local police service and there may come a time when those checkpoints are abandoned to serve the city’s daily policing needs. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has been opposed to checkpoints on the bridges. “I’m not sure what the rationale is,” he said. “This was done by the Quebec police last year and there was no evidence that this stopped the spread of COVID-19.” The mayor says that the city will send the province a bill for the policing costs of the measure.
  • Essential workers in Ottawa could have first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of June, according to Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches and Emergency and Protective Services General Manager Anthony Di Monte. They released a joint letter on Monday outlining the city’s vaccination priorities over the coming months.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 421,442 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,447 cases today. The death toll rose by 19 to 7,735. There are 2,202 people in hospital, up 95, with 755 in intensive care, up 14, and 516 on a ventilator, up 10. Today, the province says there are 1,299 new cases in Toronto, 926 in Peel, 577 in York Region, 233 in Ottawa and 227 in Hamilton. There has been a total of 370,844 resolved cases, up 3,153 today.
  • The province has now identified 36,579 cases of the B117 UK variant, 104 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 211 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 3,904,778 doses of vaccine; 346,005 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 42,873 tests the previous day. There have been 13,576,030 tests conducted so far. There are 21,512 tests under review.
  • There are 40 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 36 residents with an infection and 127 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,912 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • CBC reports that a sharp climb in the number of OC Transpo drivers testing positive for COVID-19 is prompting employees and their union leadership to demand more protective measures, including the return of rear-bus boarding and accelerated vaccinations.
  • Spring break is over and Ontario students are once again learning online.
  • Drivers hoping to cross the Ontario-Quebec border this morning were met with kilometres-long lines in some places as police checkpoints to limit non-essential travel began.
  • In its first budget in two years, the federal government is planning for $101.4 billion in new spending to support the country through the third COVID-19 wave, and stimulate economic recovery.
  • Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland told Canadians the government will put $30 billion towards a national child-care plan, increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and make $17.6 billion in green investments.
  • The budget shows that a deficit for the fiscal year is projected to be $354.2 billion. It is predicted to drop to $154.7 billion at the end of the 2021-22 fiscal year. The government will spend $12 billion to extend key COVID-19 business aid programs and commits to continue other income support measures. The government will extend federal wage and rent subsidies and lockdown supports through September, as well the Canada Recovery Benefit aimed at people who aren’t covered by employment insurance (EI), though the $500-a-week support will drop to $300 per week after July 17.
  • There will be changes to the EI program, which includes extending the EI sickness benefit from 15 to 26 weeks and continuing to offer COVID-19-prompted caregiving supports. The Liberals have signalled that they also intend embark on a $3.9 billion reform of EI to make it more accessible and streamlined.
  • More highlights: There will be $3 billion over five years, starting in 2022-23 to support the provinces and territories in creating and upholding high standards of care inside long-term care facilities; $2.2 billion over the next seven years on boosting Canada’s biomedical and life sciences research sector to in part increase vaccine development; $424 million in 2021-22 to ensure the “safe reopening” of Canada’s borders, through funding further air travel protections and mandatory quarantine measures; $100 million over the next three years, to support projects for mental health interventions for populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, such as health care and front-line workers and $41.3 million over six years starting in 2021-22, for Statistics Canada to improve data infrastructure and data collection.
  • Quebec has now recorded 338,044 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,092 new cases today. So far 314,376 have recovered. The death toll is 10,816, up 15. The number in hospital is 686, up three, with 183 in intensive care, up eight. The province completed 26,132 tests on April 17 for a total of 8,084,775. Quebec has injected  2,399,934 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,836,485 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 109 new cases of infection for a total of 10,390, along with a total of 185 deaths. Some 8,959 cases have been resolved. There are 1,137 active cases. There have been 102,872 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • Prince Edward Island reported three new cases today. The island province has also tightened border controls. Non-resident travel to the Island from outside Atlantic Canada is on hold until at least May 17.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting three new cases of COVID-19 on Monday.
  • New Brunswick reported nine new cases on Monday and said 158 cases remain active in the province.
  • Nova Scotia health officials reported 15 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the number of active cases in the province to 63 — the highest number of active cases since before Christmas.
  • Manitoba is tightening COVID-19 restrictions. Starting Tuesday, weddings, funerals and outdoor public gatherings will be capped at 10 people — down from 25. On Wednesday, retail stores will have to drop the number of shoppers allowed inside to one-third capacity from half. Health officials reported 108 new COVID-19 cases Monday.
  • Saskatchewan health officials said on Monday there were 243 new cases.
  • Alberta reported 1,391 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday and three more deaths.
  • B.C.’s top doctor says a two-year-old child has died, becoming the youngest person in the province to die of COVID-19. In all, eight people died over the weekend and 2,960 new cases were confirmed. the province also extended “circuit-breaker” restrictions for five more weeks. The province is also introducing random police checks that are intended to stop non-essential journeys between health regions. As well, B.C. Ferries will no longer book passages for recreational vehicles. And police stops are coming to the Alberta border. Non-essential travel will be turned back.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,131,769+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,667+ deaths from the infection and 1,013,103+ recoveries. There are 87,925+ active cases.
  • The National Advisory Committee on Immunization will update its perspective on the AstraZeneca vaccine recommending that those 40 and up can get a jab. Several provinces have already made that move including Ontario.
  • There have now been 141,525,400+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,022,126+ deaths and 80,893,313+ recoveries.

April 18

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 283 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 21,835 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 482. There are 110 in hospital; 30 in intensive care. There are 3,339 active cases and there have been 18,014 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 16 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 11 in schools and child-care centres. There are 10 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 254,410 doses of vaccine administered. The city has received 279,390.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 416,995 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,250 cases today. The death toll rose by 18 to 7,716. There are 2,107 people in hospital, up 42, with 741 in intensive care, up 15, and 506 on a ventilator, up five. Today, the province says there are 1,392 new cases in Toronto, 714 in Peel, 483 in York Region, 279 in Durham and 239 in Ottawa. There has been a total of 367,691 resolved cases, up 3,338 today.
  • The province has now identified 34,112 cases of the B117 UK variant, 104 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 207 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 3,837,881 doses of vaccine; 345,310 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 53,776 tests the previous day. There have been 13,533,157 tests conducted so far. There are 28,651 tests under review.
  • There are 39 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 32 residents with an infection and 124 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,912 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario will begin offering AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday to people turning 40 or older this year, according to a government source. The move follows a statement by federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu that provinces and territories are “free to use” AstraZeneca’s vaccine on any groups aged 18 and above, despite the country’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendation to not give the vaccine to those under 55.
  • The Ford government has extended the provincial stay-at-home order for two more weeks. Outdoor gatherings are limited to family households only. Non-essential construction is being shut down. Places such as golf courses and basketball courts are closed. The province reopened playgrounds today after closing them on Friday. Churches are limited to a maximum of 10 people for services including weddings and funerals. Essential businesses will be limited to 25 per cent capacity.
  • Interprovincial borders will have checkpoints and travel will be restricted to essential reasons only starting Monday.
  • After many police forces in Ontario, including Ottawa’s said they would not stop motorists or people at random to enforce new COVID-19 rules, the province has backtracked on that enforcement order.
  • Dr. Peter Jüni, the science director of the province’s COVID-19 advisory table, has told CBC the new restrictions show that the province doesn’t understand how the virus spreads. Jüni said: “[Friday] was one of the darkest days in my professional career and also personally. What is needed is that we just all focus on what every single one of us can do…every single one can contribute to interrupting the transmission.”
  • The federal government says it will keep two mobile health units in Ontario until at least June 30.
  • The prime minister has spoken with three Atlantic premiers — from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and P.E.I. — to discuss the possibility of sharing personnel with Ontario. Justin Trudeau also says federal health-care workers from departments such as National Defence and Immigration will be reassigned to help in the Greater Toronto Area and other parts of the province.
  • Quebec has now recorded 336,952 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,344 new cases today. So far 312,701 have recovered. The death toll is 10,802, up nine. The number in hospital is 683, down nine, with 175 in intensive care. The province completed 35,308 tests on April 16 for a total of 8,058,643. Quebec has injected 2,358,757 doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,836,485 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 143 new cases of infection for a total of 10,281, along with a total of 185 deaths. Some 8,813 cases have been resolved. There are 1,140 active cases. There have been 100,290 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • Nunavut reported three new cases today, all in Iqaluit.
  • New Brunswick reported 10 new cases, while Nova Scotia reports seven cases.
  • Prince Edward Island reported three cases today including one in a child under 10 years of age.
  • Manitoba is reporting 170 new cases of COVID-19 and one death Sunday.
  • There are 289 new cases of COVID-19 to report in Saskatchewan, along with one death.
  • Alberta Health reported 1,516 new cases and three deaths from the disease on Sunday.
  • British Columbia authorities say those 18 and older will be invited to register for an immunization appointment over the course of the week. Registration will be open to those 40 and above starting Monday, with the lower age limit decreasing every following day. Those as young as 18 will be able to sign up by Friday. The government says those who register for a vaccine will be contacted about booking an actual appointment after they’ve signed up.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,121,498+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,623+ deaths from the infection and 1,009,950+ recoveries. There are 86,763+ active cases.
  • The first federal budget in two years will be tabled Monday. Media reports indicate the government will announce spending of between $70 and 100 billion including a national child care plan.
  • There have now been 140,835,884+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,013,217+ deaths and 80,372,858+ recoveries.

April 17

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 241 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 21,552 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 482, up two. There are 102 in hospital; 30 in intensive care. There are 3,218 active cases and there have been 17,852 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 16 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 18 in schools and child-care centres. There are 12 other outbreaks. So far, OPH reports 254,410 doses of vaccine administered. The city has received 279,390.
  • CBC reports that The Ottawa Hospital could see 100 COVID-19 patients occupying its critical and acute care beds in the coming days, its president and CEO says.
  • Ottawa Public Health has begun rolling out four pop-up vaccination clinics Saturday that have been strategically placed near neighbourhoods where COVID-19 has hit the hardest. One clinic is at the Masjid ar-Rahmah, the Mosque of Mercy, on Hunt Club Road in Emerald Woods. People as young as 50 years old will be able to get vaccinated after registering for an appointment. The City of Ottawa has not announced where the other three pop-up sites will be located, but said it’s disseminating the information strategically to high-risk areas. Karim Mekki, head of OPH’s supervisor of community engagement, told CBC public health has been working with community groups to spread the word about upcoming pop-up clinics in 21 identified high-priority neighbourhoods.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 412,745 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,362 cases today. The death toll rose by 34 to 7,698. There are 2,065 people in hospital, up 110, with 726 in intensive care, up 25, and 501 on a ventilator, up 21. Today, the province says there are 1,162 new cases in Toronto, 936 in Peel, 430 in York Region, 301 i Durham, 251 in Ottawa, 211 in Hamilton and 151 in Niagara. There has been a total of 364,353 resolved cases, up 3,611 today.
  • The province has now identified 32,327 cases of the B117 UK variant, 101 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 207 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant. More than 51,000 cases of variant infection have been reported across Canada with B117 making up 96 per cent of these.
  • Ontario has administered 3,751,316 doses of vaccine; 344,244 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 56,852 tests the previous day. There have been 13,479,381 tests conducted so far. There are 37,520 tests under review.
  • There are 39 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 32 residents with an infection and 124 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,912 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • The Ford government has extended the provincial stay-at-home order for two more weeks. Outdoor gatherings are limited to family households only. Non-essential construction is being shut down. Places such as golf courses and basketball courts are closed. The province reopened playgrounds today after closing them on Friday. Churches are limited to a maximum of 10 people for services including weddings and funerals. Essential businesses will be limited to 25 per cent capacity.
  • Interprovincial borders will have checkpoints and travel will be restricted to essential reasons only starting Monday.
  • Many police forces in Ontario, including Ottawa’s say they will not stop motorists or people at random to enforce new COVID-19 rules. Instead, they say, they plan to act on complaints or obvious violations, the National Post reports.
  • Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and Ottawa Police Service (OPS) Chief Peter Sloly say municipal officials were still waiting for details on the checkpoint plan. Sloly said he believes the checkpoints will operate 24/7, for several weeks. OPS is having enforcement discussions with the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police and counterparts in Quebec.
  • Police and bylaw officers have been given special powers to enforce the stay at home order. They will be able to issue fines of $750 on the spot.
  • Geneviève Guilbault, Quebec’s deputy premier, said Friday evening that her province’s borders will close to visitors from Ontario starting Monday as well.
  • Many doctors in Ontario say that the new restrictions miss the boat. They say that rather than closing golf courses and basketball courts, the government should be shutting non-essential workspaces, vaccinating essential workers on the job site and providing sick pay relief for those who become infected.
  • Quebec has now recorded 335,608 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,537 new cases today. So far 311,047 have recovered. The death toll is 10,793, up eight. The number in hospital is 692, up 28, with 175 in intensive care, up eight. The province completed 39,015 tests on April 15 for a total of 8,062,350. Quebec has injected 2,297,411; doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,836,485 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 164 new cases of infection for a total of 10,138, along with a total of 185 deaths, up two. Some 8,813 cases have been resolved. There are 1,140 active cases. There have been 96,803 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • New Brunswick reports 11 new cases, while Nova Scotia adds eight.
  • Manitoba public health officials report 183 new cases and three new deaths Saturday.
  • Saskatchewan is adding 249 COVID-19 cases and two more deaths.
  • Alberta has confirmed Canada’s second case of an AstraZeneca-linked blood clot; this one in a man in his 60s. He is receiving treatment for the rare blood clot disorder, called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. Meanwhile thousands of appointments for AstraZeneca vaccinations went unfilled at a mass-immunization hub in Calgary this past week, the Calgary Herald says.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,110,875+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,580+ deaths from the infection and 1,000,813+ recoveries. There are 85,319+ active cases.
  • There have now been 140,092,906+ confirmed cases worldwide with 3,002,292+ deaths and 79,841,013+ recoveries.

April 16

  • New pandemic modelling in Ontario is showing a frightening reality, doctors said today. “Our hospitals can no longer function normally.” The modelling shows that the worst case scenario (without restrictions) would see 30,000 cases a day by the end of May. With the same level of restrictions daily cases will hit 15,000 by June 1. Without tighter restrictions high case rates will continue into, and perhaps through, the summer.
  • Variants dominate new cases, but the original strain of COVID-19 is also increasing. The modellers say a six week long stay at home order and 100,000 vaccinations a day is the only way to stem the surge. Tighter restrictions and more vaccinations each day will start bending the curve of infection, the modelling shows.
  • The modelling also indicates that infection increases are now baked in and that will result in ICU patient numbers could hit 1,000 in the next three weeks.
  • The Ontario government is announcing tighter public health restrictions. “We are on our heels,” Premier Doug Ford said as he extended the provincial stay-at-home order for two more weeks. Starting Saturday, outdoor gatherings will be limited to family households only. Non-essential construction is being shut down. Places such as golf courses, basketball courts and playgrounds are ordered closed. Churches will limited to a maximum of 10 people. Essential businesses will be limited to 25 per cent capacity.
  • Interprovincial borders will have checkpoints and travel will be restricted to essential reasons only. Premier Doug Ford urged the federal government to further tighten international borders including flights into Pearson International Airport.
  • Police and bylaw officers have been given special powers to enforce the stay at home order. They will be able to issue fines of $750 on the spot.
  • The province will deliver 25 per cent of vaccine supply to 13 hot spots and is calling on the federal government to increase supply to Ontario.
  • Ontario has asked other provinces to send health care workers. The province says it is short 4,145 nurses and needs at least 620 workers. Newfoundland has said it would be willing to send personnel, but several other provinces have refused.
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government will ask the Canadian Red Cross to be ready to deploy teams to help with mobile vaccination clinics and in staffing about 27 long term care homes. He also said he is talking to Ontario about ways to supply more critical care staff but would not specify a number. He also indicated talks are under way with other provinces about sharing human resources with Ontario.
  • The Canadian Medical Association is “calling for province-to-province collaboration and national leadership to address the scale and severity of the pandemic. Specifically, the CMA is recommending deployment of resources where they are most needed to save the most lives. Any measures taken now will take time to have an impact given the lag from exposure to disease — we must act now.”
  • The CMA wants the federal government to change vaccine distribution to focus on areas where vaccines are more urgently needed, and said that paid sick leave “is urgently required.”
  • The prime minister would not commit to redeploying vaccine doses to hard hit regions. That requires agreement of the provinces; the current per capita distribution system having been agreed upon by the provinces.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey says his province cannot agree to changing the distribution system because of the ability of the variants to spread into surges. Nova Scotia too has ruled out the idea.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 408,383 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,812 cases today. The death toll rose by 25 to 7,664. There are 1,955 people in hospital, up 23, with 701 in intensive care, up 42, and 480 on a ventilator, up 38. Today, the province says there are 1,188 new cases in Toronto, 983 in Peel, 526 in York Region, 342 in Ottawa, 216 in Durham and 215 in Niagara. There has been a total of 360,742 resolved cases, up 3,151 today.
  • The province has now identified 30,175 cases of the B117 UK variant, 99 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 202 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant. More than 51,000 cases of variant infection have been reported across Canada with B117 making up 96 per cent of these.
  • Ontario has administered 3,644,038 doses of vaccine; 341,933 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 64,304 tests the previous day. There have been 13,422,529 tests conducted so far. There are 38,815 tests under review.
  • There are 38 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 26 residents with an infection and 119 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,909 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 345 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 21,311 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 480, up one. There are 104 in hospital; 33 in intensive care. There are 3,116 active cases and there have been 17,715 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 16 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 18 in schools and child-care centres. There are 10 other outbreaks. So far, OPH has administered 254,410 doses and received 279,390.
  • The City of Ottawa is on track to break even more COVID-19 records next week and if people don’t take the stay-at-home order more seriously, it’s going to be even worse, according to a modelling scientist. CBC reports Dr. Doug Manuel, a senior scientist with The Ottawa Hospital who does the modelling of local numbers, projects that the city will see a daily record of 480 new COVID-19 cases next week.
  • Quebec has now recorded 334,071 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,527 new cases today. So far 309,345 have recovered. The death toll is 10,785, up seven. The number in hospital is 664, up three, with 167 in intensive care, up eight. The province completed 43,515 tests on April 14 for a total of 8,023,335. Quebec has injected 2,223,775; doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,836,485 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 151 new cases of infection for a total of 9,974, along with a total of 183 deaths. Some 8,485 cases have been resolved. There are 1,155 active cases. There have been 93,405 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • Nunavut is reporting an outbreak in Iqaluit with 12 new cases reported today.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador reported three new cases.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting six new cases.
  • New Brunswick is reporting nine new cases.
  • Manitoba is reporting 127 new cases today.
  • Saskatchewan health officials said on Friday there were 221 new cases, along with two more deaths.
  • Alberta reported 1,616 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, as the province’s third wave approaches the height of its second wave in December. 
  • British Columbia has recorded another 1,005 cases of COVID-19, health officials announced Friday. There were six more deaths.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,106,062+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,535+ deaths from the infection and 996,017+ recoveries. There are 84,750+ active cases.
  • Moderna is now saying that it will deliver 650,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of April instead of the 1.2 million originally expected. The company is blaming high global demand. The company also says that about two million of 12.3 million doses expected by the end of June will now arrive after July 1. The federal government says that it will press Moderna to meet its obligations.
  • Meanwhile, the prime minister has announced that Canada will now receive eight million more doses of Pfizer vaccine; four million more in May, two million more in June and two million more in July. The total will be 24 million doses delivered from April to June.
  • Canada will receive 300,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine by the end of April, Procurement Minister Anita Anand said. The provinces will get these doses in May. Questions about the safety of the vaccine sparked by rare cases of blood clots in the U.S. will be subject to Health Canada review.
  • As of March 30, 219 tickets have been issued to air passengers entering Canada who refused to quarantine at a designated hotel, said the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The fine for violating the requirement is $3,000. 
  • There have now been 139,244,306+ confirmed cases worldwide with 2,989,173+ deaths and 79,337,227+ recoveries.

April 15

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 370 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 20,966 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 479. Eighty-four are in hospital; 25 in intensive care. There are 2,953 active cases and there have been 17,534 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 17 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 21 in schools and child-care centres. There are 11 other outbreaks. So far, OPH has administered 236,163 doses and received 250,990.
  • Ottawa’s associate medical officer of health is saying that the local health care system could soon be at “significant risk” as hospital admissions double every 12 days during the current wave of COVID-19 cases.
  • For the second straight weekend, the Queen Elizabeth Driveway, the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and the Sir George-Etienne Cartier Parkway will be closed by the National Capital Commission to motor vehicle traffic on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 403,571 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,736 cases today. The death toll rose by 29 to 7,639. There are 1,932 people in hospital, up 55, with 659 in intensive care, up 17, and 422 on a ventilator. Today, the province says there are 1,188 new cases in Toronto, 983 in Peel, 526 in York Region, 342 in Ottawa, 216 in Durham and 215 in Niagara. There has been a total of 357,591 resolved cases, up 3,174 today.
  • The province has now identified 27,278 cases of the B117 UK variant, 95 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 191 cases of the P1 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 3,528,404 doses of vaccine; 339,491 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 65,559 tests the previous day. There have been 13,358,225 tests conducted so far. There are 39,682 tests under review.
  • There are 40 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 22 residents with an infection and 121 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,908 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • The Ministry of Health says Ontario may activate a field hospital that was assembled in the parking lot at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto as hospitals in the city and surrounding regions struggle with an influx of patients. 
  • “Unfortunately our situation is dire,” Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said during a Thursday afternoon news conference.
  • Health Minister Christine Elliott has said Ontario intends to open up hundreds of additional ICU beds in coming days and weeks. This has resulted in a request to the province’s 626 long-term care homes, asking them to “safely admit or readmit” hospitalized patients. The ministry wants to complete up to 1,500 transfers from hospitals to a long-term care facility, the spokesperson said. About 93 per cent of all long-term care residents in Ontario have had both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • More than 500 workplaces including big box stores, manufacturers and warehouses in Ottawa, Toronto and York Region could receive a visit from provincial inspectors this weekend, along with 1,300 construction sites.
  • Quebec has now recorded 332,544 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,513 new cases today. So far 307,748 have recovered. The death toll is 10,778, up 15. The number in hospital is 661, up one, with 159 in intensive care, up seven. The province completed 42,694 tests on April 13 for a total of 7,979,820. Quebec has injected 2,145,925; doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,828,685 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 167 new cases of infection for a total of 9,823, along with a total of 183 deaths. Some 8,308 cases have been resolved. There are 1,168 active cases. There have been 90,463 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • Nova Scotia health officials reported three new cases Thursday and said all three cases are the B.1.1.7 variant.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador has two new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, both related to travel. 
  • Manitoba reported one new death and 153 new cases Thursday. The province has reported 10 people have died from COVID-19 despite receiving a first or second dose of the vaccine and it is urging Manitobans to continue to be cautious after getting inoculated. None of the deaths have come from people who contracted COVID-19 more than 14 days after receiving their second dose.
  • There are 293 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths reported in Saskatchewan.
  • Alberta reported 1,646 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the highest single-day count since mid-December. The province saw five more deaths. As well, a Lethbridge psychiatrist is the second physician to die from COVID-19.
  • British Columbia health officials announced 1,205 new test-positive COVID-19 cases on Thursday, along with three more deaths. New provincial modelling shows even if social gatherings drop off over the next few weeks, B.C. would still be on track to hit 2,000 new cases a day. The province has restrictions in place banning social gatherings, events and indoor dining, but so far the province’s “circuit-breaker” has not driven cases down.
  • Friday’s planned game between the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers has been cancelled.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,095,505+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,497+ deaths from the infection and 987,820+ recoveries. There are 80,201+ active cases.
  • The federal government says more than 12.7 million doses of vaccine have been distributed to the provinces.
  • Moderna deliveries have been delayed by quality assurance backlogs, the government says. The government acknowledges that the Moderna delays are forcing provinces to “make adjustments.”
  • The 855,000 doses of the Moderna product that were supposed to arrive the week of April 5 have started to show up only over the last several days, Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin said which has disrupted planned immunization clinics including the cancellation of 10,000 appointments in Ontario. The 1.2 million doses that were slated to arrive in Canada next week are now not expected until later this month, possibly as late as the first week of May, Fortin said. He said the government is hoping the shots can be picked up “early to mid-week” next week, but that’s not confirmed yet.
  • Meanwhile Pfizer vaccine dose deliveries will be two million a week through June. About 855,000 doses of Moderna have been “completed” today with 1.2 million doses expected by the end of April. Moderna says it will deliver 2.8 million doses over two shipments in May. The provinces should receive 317,000 AstraZeneca doses by the weekend.
  • The Canadian Real Estate Association says March home sales across the country amounted to 76,259 last month, up 76.2 per cent from 43,283 during the same period last year. Sales gains were largest in March in Greater Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton-Burlington and Ottawa. The average sale price nationally was $716,828.
  • A new Angus Reid Institute survey shows that Canadians are unwilling to re-open the border in the short term, despite calls from Americans to do so, and even though the U.S. may be on pace to reach herd immunity via vaccination by summer.
  • Canada’s procurement minister says she is in the midst of negotiating new vaccine contracts to nail down supplies of vaccine booster shots if they’re needed next year. “We are actively planning for 2022,” Anita Anand said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.
  • People will likely need a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine within a year of getting fully vaccinated and may subsequently need annual shots to protect against the coronavirus, Pfizer’s CEO Albert Bourla said Thursday.
  • Moderna is studying an upgraded version of its Covid-19 vaccine that is specifically designed to target the South African variant, which some experts worried may evade existing vaccines. In an interview with CNBC on Wednesday, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said the company is working on a shot that would combine protection against Covid-19 and the seasonal flu. 
  • There have now been 138,416,498+ confirmed cases worldwide with 2,975,875+ deaths and 78,845,117+ recoveries.
  • A top official from the World Health Organization said Europe has surpassed one million deaths from COVID-19 and the situation remains “serious,” with about 1.6 million new cases reported each week in the region.
  • Dr. Hans Kluge also said the risk of people suffering blood clots is far higher for people with COVID-19 than people who receive AstraZeneca’s vaccine. The comment follows Denmark’s decision to stop using the vaccine. Denmark is examining options for sharing AstraZeneca’s vaccines with poorer nations.
  • The development of a rare blood clot in the brain called a cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is up to 10 times more likely following COVID-19 infection than after taking a vaccine, a new study by Oxford University suggests. The research, which is not yet peer reviewed, calculated 39 in a million people with COVID-19 developed CVT. By comparison, four in a million developed it after the Pfizer or Moderna jabs, and it occurred in five in a million after the first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

April 14

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 329 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 20,596 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 479, up three. Ninety-two are in hospital; 23 in intensive care. There are 2,755 active cases and there have been 17,362 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 18 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 22 in schools and child-care centres. There are 10 other outbreaks. So far, OPH has administered 236,163 doses and received 250,990.
  • City council has extended the mandatory mask bylaw until at least Aug. 26. This means Ottawa residents will have to continue covering their mouths and noses in public indoor areas, including in condo and apartment buildings.
  • Ottawa Public Health is expected to issue a Section 22 order requiring masks in parks. Details are likely include a cap on the number of people allowed to use playgrounds and basketball courts at any one time, as well as a mandatory mask policy in some outdoor public settings.
  • Starting this weekend, anywhere from six to a dozen parks in the city of Ottawa could be shut down at 9 p..m. — two hours earlier than city parks are supposed to close.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 398,835 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,156 cases today. The death toll rose by 28 to 7,610. There are 1,877 people in hospital, up 55, with 642 in intensive care, up 16, and 422 on a ventilator. Today, the province says there are 1,254 new cases in Toronto, 593 in Peel, 476 in York Region, 340 in Ottawa and 248 in Durham. There has been a total of 354,417 resolved cases, up 3,160 today.
  • The province has now identified 24,467 cases of the B117 UK variant, 84 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 176 cases of the P1/P2 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 3,422,974 doses of vaccine; 337,206 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 54,211 tests the previous day. There have been 13,292,666 tests conducted so far. There are 45,248 tests under review.
  • There are 41 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 19 residents with an infection and 131 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,908 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Shortages of COVID-19 vaccines have forced the Scarborough Health Network (SHN) to close its Centennial College and Centenary hospital clinics Wednesday. Dr. Bert Lauwers, executive vice president and acting chief of staff at SHN, told CBC News the moves will result in the cancellation of about 10,000 appointments between today and Monday. The clinics were each previously administering about 2,000 doses per day, he added. The hospital network says it will re-open its clinics as soon as its receives more vaccine and that it is contacting everyone whose vaccination appointment was cancelled by the closures and will rebook appointments as soon as possible.
  • NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is asking the auditor general to look at how the Ontario government chose certain postal code zones as COVID-19 hot spots. She is concerned that the vaccine rollout may be driven by partisan considerations. 
  • Quebec has now recorded 331,031 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,559 new cases today. So far 306,608 have recovered. The death toll is 10,763, up seven. The number in hospital is 660, up 17, with 152 in intensive care, up two. The province completed 44,183 tests on April 12 for a total of 7,937,126. Quebec has injected 2,075,808; doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,660,185 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 207 new cases of infection for a total of 9,656, along with a total of 180 deaths. Some 8,308 cases have been resolved. There are 1,168 active cases. There have been 87,644 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • Nova Scotia reports two new cases while New Brunswick added 16 cases.
  • Manitoba reports three COVID-19 related deaths, along with 86 new cases Wednesday.
  • Saskatchewan reported 193 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday and one death.
  • Alberta recorded 1,412 new COVID-19 cases, along with eight additional deaths.
  • British Columbia announced 1,168 newly identified cases of COVID-19, along with six deaths.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,087,056+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,445+ deaths from the infection and 980,037+ recoveries. There are 78,293+ active cases.
  • Health Canada officials said today they still believe the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is safe and Canadians should have no qualms about taking it. Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada’s chief medical adviser, said there is a “very low risk” that some patients could develop blood clotting with low platelets following vaccination.
  • The federal government will introduce a new pathway to permanent residency for up to 90,000 foreign nationals working in Canada in essential jobs such as personal support and health services, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced today.
  • And then there is Liberal MP Will Amos. Amos, who has represented the Quebec riding of Pontiac since 2015, appeared on the screens of his fellow members of Parliament completely naked Wednesday. However, it was “an unfortunate error,” Amos said later. “My video was accidentally turned on as I was changing into my work clothes after going for a jog. I sincerely apologize to my colleagues in the House of Commons for this unintentional distraction. Obviously, it was an honest mistake and it won’t happen again.”
  • The federal government has refused to give the Canadian Football League an interest-free loan for the 2021 season.
  • There have now been 137,571,706+ confirmed cases worldwide with 2,962,248+ deaths and 78,409,247+ recoveries.
  • India is currently hosting a vast COVID “superspreader” event, an official has warned. During the on-going Kumbh Mela religious festival, hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims are bathing in the Ganges River in the northern city of Haridwar.

April 13

  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 394,679 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,670 cases today. The death toll rose by 15 to 7,582. There are 1,822 people in hospital, up 176, with 626 in intensive care, up seven, and 422 on a ventilator, up 14. Today, the province says there are 1,016 new cases in Toronto, 613 in Peel, 519 in York Region, 214 in Ottawa and 196 in Durham. There has been a total of 351,257 resolved cases, up 2,573 today.
  • The province has now identified 20,487 cases of the B117 UK variant, 81 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 143 cases of the P1/P2 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 3,310,157 doses of vaccine; 335,262 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 42,167 tests the previous day. There have been 13,238,455 tests conducted so far. There are 35,679 tests under review.
  • There are 36 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 21 residents with an infection and 115 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,908 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 194 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 20,267 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 476. Ninety-five are in hospital; 30 in intensive care. There are 2,617 active cases and there have been 17,174 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 19 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 19 in schools and child-care centres. There are 13 other outbreaks. So far, OPH has administered 218,368 doses and received 225,250.
  • CHEO is preparing to accept adult patients 40 and younger into its intensive care ward. “This is unprecedented in CHEO’s 47-year history,” said CEO and president Alex Munter in a statement.
  • Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson is calling for an 8 p.m. curfew in city parks after reports emerged of large crowds gathering over the weekend. Watson told CBC the city received more than 420 calls this weekend from concerned members of the public, on matters from public volleyball games to large Airbnb gatherings to churches violating COVID-19 regulations.
  • COVID-19 in Ottawa’s wastewater data is showing a possible plateau that might indicate the provincewide shutdown is starting to bring numbers under control. CBC explains.
  • Ottawa Muslims are marking the second Ramadan under COVID-19 restrictions.
  • Quebec has now recorded 329,472 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,490 new cases today. So far 305,463 have recovered. The death toll is 10,756, up 12. The number in hospital is 643, up 13, with 150 in intensive care, up eight. The province completed 28,046 tests on April 11 for a total of 7,892,943. Quebec has injected 2,005,106; doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,660,185 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 207 new cases of infection for a total of 9,656, along with a total of 180, up two deaths. Some 7,865 cases have been resolved. There are 871 active cases. There have been 84,644 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • Quebec Premier François Legault says special rules in place for Gatineau and its immediate surroundings will now include the entire Outaouais, starting Thursday and lasting until at least April 26. Schools, gyms, theatres, personal care services and non-essential businesses will close. Private gatherings are banned, except for a person who lives alone seeing one other household. Distanced outdoor exercise is allowed in groups up to eight people. Masks are mandatory if people mix households. The curfew will start at 8 p.m. People in the Outaouais are asked to only have close contact with people they live with, be masked and distanced for all other in-person contact and only leave their area for an essential reason. People face a fine if they go to a yellow or green zone.
  • A Quebec woman is the first in Canada to develop a blood clot after being vaccinated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. She received the appropriate care and is recovering at home. The woman received the vaccine produced at the Serum Institute of India, known as Covishield.
  • As of Wednesday, throughout Quebec, certain essential workers “at high risk of outbreak” such as teachers and child care workers will be able to book appointments to get first doses of the vaccine. In addition, some Quebecers with severe chronic health conditions that put them at increased risk of complications from COVID-19 will be able to start getting shots from their doctors. CTV Montreal has details.
  • Protests were held in Montreal and Quebec City in violation of curfew on Tuesday night. It was the third night in a row.
  • New Brunswick is reporting four new cases.
  • Nova Scotia is now requiring visitors from New Brunswick to quarantine for 14 days as well as Nova Scotians returning from the neighbouring province. The Atlantic premiers will meet virtually today to discuss the return of the Atlantic Bubble. Premier Iain Rankin says the opening could be delayed until May at the earliest from April 19. The province is reporting six new cases today.
  • Manitoba reports 132 new cases and two more deaths today.
  • Saskatchewan is reporting 288 new cases along with two deaths.
  • Alberta reported 1,081 COVID-19 cases and a positivity rate of 8.9 per cent on Tuesday. The province also recorded three more deaths caused by COVID-19, increasing the death toll to 2,021.
  • Health officials in British Columbia have reported 873 new cases and two deaths.
  • Yukon is headed toward a minority government with the Liberal and Yukon parties tied with the same number of seats (eight) after Monday’s election. The NDP took two seats. The riding of Vuntut Gwitchin is slated for a judicial recount after Liberal candidate Pauline Frost, the territory’s health and environment minister, was tied with New Democrat Annie Blake at 78 votes each. No other candidates ran in the riding. The territory reported one new case on Monday. There have been 75 cases in all in Yukon.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,078,560+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,392+ deaths from the infection and 975,098+ recoveries. There are 75,135+ active cases.
  • One-fifth of the Canadian population has now received at least one dose of a vaccine to protect against COVID-19. The country has now administered a first dose to 7,689,563+ people in Canada, or just more than 20 per cent of the population, according to COVID Tracker Canada.
  • Canada is now seeing more than 8,000 daily cases and 34 deaths, Dr. Theresa Tam said today. That is a 33 per cent rise in daily cases in one week.
  • There have now been 137,053,483+ confirmed cases worldwide with 2,951,588+ deaths and 78,072,097+ recoveries.
  • The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are recommending that the United States pause the use of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine over six reported U.S. cases of a “rare and severe” type of blood clot. Of those cases, one woman has died and another is in critical care. The six reported cases were among more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered in the United States. Canada was expecting to start receiving the first of 10 million doses of the vaccine this month. Health Canada said it was investigating reports of clots linked to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the United States.
  • The World Health Organization, backed by key partners, issued new guidance saying that animals — particularly wild animals — “are the source of more than 70 per cent of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses” and should not be sold at food markets.

April 12

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 348 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 20,073 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 476, up one. Ninety-six are in hospital; 29 in intensive care. There are 2,619 active cases and there have been 16,978 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 19 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 19 in schools and child-care centres. There are 13 other outbreaks. So far, OPH has administered 195,217 doses and received 223,150.
  • The Civic campus of The Ottawa Hospital is at 99 per cent capacity and the General campus is at 95 per cent. Still TOH is faring better than many Toronto-area hospitals, which are beginning to transfer patients to this region for care. CBC has more.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 391,009 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,401 cases today. The death toll rose by 15 to 7,567. There are 1,646 people in hospital, up 133, with 619 in intensive care, up 14, and 408 on a ventilator, up 26. Today, the province says there are 1,282 new cases in Toronto, 772 in Peel, 564 in York Region, 339 in Ottawa and 224 in Durham. There has been a total of 348,684 resolved cases, up 2,445 today.
  • The province has now identified 16,540 cases of the B117 UK variant, 81 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 140 cases of the P1/P2 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario is closing all indoor schooling for the foreseeable future, Premier Doug Ford announced today. The premier said the child care spaces for non-school aged children will remain open. Free child care will be provided to some school-aged children of essential workers. The province is suspending all before and after school programs.
  • Ontario has administered 3,214,465 doses of vaccine; 333,419 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 47,929 tests the previous day. There have been 13,196,288 tests conducted so far. There are 24,796 tests under review.
  • There are 41 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 24 residents with an infection and 120 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,908 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario hospitals are now able to move patients to other institutions without consent. The health care system will also redeploy workers as needed to cope with the growing caseload in the province’s intensive care units caused by COVID-19’s surging third wave.
  • More than 700 pharmacies province-wide will be able to immunize people aged 55 and older starting today. In Ottawa, that includes around 80 new locations. About 50 locations in eastern Ontario in communities ranging from Cornwall to Trenton to Deep Rive were also added.
  • Researchers are analyzing blood samples from Ontario paramedics to see if they are being adequately protected against COVID-19 and to determine how many have developed antibodies since the pandemic began. The study is being led by researchers in both Ontario and British Columbia and is supported by Ottawa’s COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF).
  • Doctors in Ontario successfully completed a double lung transplant in a 61 year old Mississauga man whose lungs were devastated by COVID-19.
  • Quebec has now recorded 327,982 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,599 new cases today. So far 304,267 have recovered. The death toll is 10,744, up two. The number in hospital is 630, up 22, with 142 in intensive care, up three. The province completed 27,132 tests on April 10 for a total of 7,864,897. Quebec has injected 1,944,877; doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,429,695 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 290 new cases of infection for a total of 9,204, along with a total of 178 deaths. Some 7,865 cases have been resolved. There are 871 active cases. There have been 81,987 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • Small groups protested the 8 p.m. curfew in Montreal again on Tuesday. This followed a riot on Sunday during which Montreal police arrested seven people, handed out more than 100 fines and continue to investigate after rioters smashed windows and set fires in Old Montreal.
  • Nova Scotia reported seven new cases of COVID-19 on Monday.
  • New Brunswick health officials reported 10 new cases of the virus. 
  • Manitoba public health officials said the province has identified 114 new cases of the virus.
  • There are 300 new COVID-19 infections in Saskatchewan, along with one more death.
  • Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said the province is on track to administer upwards of 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine per week — as long as supply keeps up. He sys that pace would lead to more normal summer dangling the possibility of a Calgary Stampede taking place out of door. Alberta recorded 1,136 new cases on Monday and five additional deaths from the disease.
  • While Kenney was speaking a crowd protested COVID-19 restrictions outside the Alberta legislature. On Sunday, hundreds of people were seen singing hymns, chanting, and gathering outside the fenced-off GraceLife Church west of Edmonton.
  • British Columbia confirms 3,289 new cases of COVID-19 from the weekend along with 18 deaths.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,071,011+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,356+ deaths from the infection and 967,075+ recoveries. There are 73,447+ active cases.
  • The federal government has reached an agreement with Air Canada to provide the pandemic-battered airline with financial support in exchange for refunds for customers who had their flights cancelled last year because of the pandemic. Salaries of top executives will be capped. The agreement will also reopen routes to smaller cities that were closed in the first waves of the pandemic. The deal will see the airline get access to up to $5.9 billion in low-interest loans and equity financing. Under the terms of the deal, the government will buy $500 million worth of shares in the airline at a 15 per cent discount to their recent trading price through the Canada Enterprise Emergency Funding Corporation (CEEFC). It amounts to a roughly six per cent stake.
  • The Bank of Canada says in its business outlook that business sentiment continues to improve. Firms reported less uncertainty related to the COVID‑19 pandemic and strengthening demand from weak levels. Still, the recovery remains uneven, with firms tied to high-contact services facing ongoing challenges.
  • In its survey of consumer attitudes, the Bank of Canada says, “while Canadians remain concerned about COVID‑19, they have found ways to adapt to restrictions, such as changing their shopping habits and working remotely. Most respondents intend to get vaccinated, and some have already received their initial vaccine. This has led to growing optimism, as more people than in previous surveys expect that life will eventually return to normal.” 
  • New public opinion data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds just 41 per cent of Canadians who are yet unvaccinated – but intend to be – are comfortable with receiving an AstraZeneca vaccine, currently comprising about 20 per cent of Canada’s stockpile.
  • The federal government is expecting Moderna to deliver a batch of 855,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses that were expected last week. Canada will also get a million shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine this week.
  • Canada’s case rate from the last seven days, which reflects the number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the population, currently sits at 137. That’s just behind the U.S. tally of 140 cases per 100,000.
  • There have now been 136,174,000+ confirmed cases worldwide with 2,938,740+ deaths and 77,522,818+ recoveries.
  • “Behave responsibly,” UK PM Boris Johnson told Britons as shops, hairdressers, restaurants, pubs and gyms reopened their doors on Monday in the latest stage of the coronavirus lockdown easing in England.

April 11

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 370 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 19,725 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 475. Eighty-one are in hospital; 26 in intensive care. There are 2,411 active cases and there have been 16,839 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 19 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 17 in schools and child-care centres. There are 15 other outbreaks. So far, OPH has administered 195,217 doses and received 223,150.
  • About 80 more Ottawa pharmacies will start offering the AstraZeneca vaccine to those aged 55 and older this week, according to the province. More than 700 pharmacies have been added provincewide.
  • Ottawa–Vanier MPP Lucille Collard has asked Ontario Health Minsiter Christine Elliott to designate the neighbourhoods of Vanier and Overbrook — the K1K and K1L postal codes — be designated hot spots or have local pharmacies on the vaccine list. CBC has more.
  • The South Branch Bistro, a Kemptville, Ont., restaurant that hosted a recent anti-lockdown rally, has had its liquor licence suspended.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 386,608 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,456 cases today. The death toll rose by 21 to 7,552. There are 1,524 people in hospital, up 32, with 585 in intensive care, up 33, and 384 on a ventilator, up 25. Today, the province says there are 1,353 new cases in Toronto, 860 in Peel, 444 in York Region, 377 in Ottawa and 329 in Durham. There has been a total of 346,239 resolved cases, up 2,617 today.
  • The province has now identified 14,387 cases of the B117 UK variant, 78 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 134 cases of the P1/P2 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 3,139,743 doses of vaccine; 333,150 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 56,378 tests the previous day. There have been 13,148,359 tests conducted so far. There are 31,836 tests under review.
  • There are 41 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 23 residents with an infection and 117 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,907 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Quebec has now recorded 326,383 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,535 new cases today. So far 303,039 have recovered. The death toll is 10,742, up five. The number in hospital is 608, up 25, with 139 in intensive care, up one. The province completed 35,961 tests on April 9 for a total of 7,837,765. Quebec has injected 1,890,476; doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,429,695 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 59 new cases of infection for a total of 8,914, along with a total of 178 deaths. Some 7,865 cases have been resolved. There are 871 active cases. There have been 78,424 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • New Brunswick reported nine new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, while Nova Scotia reported five cases.
  • Manitoba announced 112 new cases of the virus.
  • Saskatchewan officials added another 321 cases on Sunday and one new death.
  • Alberta Health reported 1,183 cases and one more death connected to the virus on Sunday. More than 50 per cent of new cases in the province are variants of concern.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,060,157+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,315+ deaths from the infection and 963,395+ recoveries. There are 73,447+ active cases.
  • Canada is nearing the peak of the current wave of COVID-19, Dr. Theresa Tam, the country’s chief public health officer, said Sunday as Ontario reported a new single-day record for new infections and provinces brought in new restrictions to contain the virus’ spread.
  • An employee at a Canada Post mail processing plant in the city’s east end has died after contracting COVID-19.
  • There have now been 135,808,767+ confirmed cases worldwide with 2,934,202+ deaths and 77,229,561+ recoveries.

April 10

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 325 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. The city has now seen 19,355 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 475, up four. Seventy-three are in hospital; 24 in intensive care. There are 2,200 active cases and there have been 16,839 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 18 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 16 in schools and child-care centres. There are 13 other outbreaks. So far, OPH has administered 195,217 doses and received 223,150.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 382,152 total cases of COVID-19, adding 3,813 cases today. The death toll rose by 19 to 7,531. There are 1,513 people in hospital, down 11, with 605 in intensive care, up 20, and 382 on a ventilator, down two. Today, the province says there are 973 new cases in Toronto, 669 in Peel, 442 in York Region and 281 in Durham. There has been a total of 343,622 resolved cases, up 2,422 today.
  • The province has now identified 13,213 cases of the B117 UK variant, 76 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 134 cases of the P1/P2 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 3,044,949 doses of vaccine; 330,982 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 61,439 tests the previous day. There have been 13,091,981 tests conducted so far. There are 42,963 tests under review.
  • There are 41 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 23 residents with an infection and 117 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,907 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Quebec has now recorded 324,848 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,754 new cases today. So far 301,740 have recovered. The death toll is 10,737, up 13. The number in hospital is 583, up 14, with 138 in intensive care, up four. The province completed 44,431 tests on April 8 for a total of 7,801,814. Quebec has injected 1,829,011; doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,429,695 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 142 new cases of infection for a total of 8,755, along with a total of 178 deaths. Some 7,778 cases have been resolved. There are 899 active cases. There have been 74,653 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • Alberta Health reported 1,293 COVID-19 cases and five more deaths from the disease on Saturday. Premier Jason Kenney said Saturday re-opening is on hold indefinitely until there is the province can stabilize the current spike in cases that is expected to lead to more hospitalizations. He said the only way that will happen is if people follow health measures and stop social interactions.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,052,539+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,287+ deaths from the infection and 958,633+ recoveries. There are 70,619+ active cases.
  • There have now been 135,030,164+ confirmed cases worldwide with 2,920,537+ deaths and 76,746,058+ recoveries.

April 9

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 242 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. (The province says there were 246 cases). The city has now seen 19,030 cases since the first wave of infections began. The death toll is 471, up one. Seventy-one are in hospital; 24 in intensive care. There are 2,023 active cases and there have been 16,536 recoveries. Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 18 Ottawa institutions, including long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals and 15 in schools and child-care centres. There are 12 other outbreaks. So far, OPH has administered 195,217 doses and received 223,150.
  • Dr. Vera Etches is warning parents that all elementary and secondary schools in Ottawa are “more likely than not” to close to in-person learning after the April Break, as COVID-19 transmission continues to rise in Ottawa.
  • The City of Ottawa says that, despite the province opening vaccine eligibility to residents in some priority neighbourhoods age 50 to 54 today, it doesn’t have supply.
  • The National Capital Commission is closing to vehicle traffic: both westbound lanes of the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway will open for active use from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., south of the Ottawa River from Booth Street to Carling Avenue; the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway will open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for residents to use between Aviation Parkway and St. Joseph Boulevard in Orléans and three km of Queen Elizabeth Driveway remains open for active use from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends from Fifth Avenue to Somerset Street.
  • Cornwall Community Hospital CEO Jeanette Despatie says her institution is at 109 per cent capacity and is sending non-COVID-19 patients to hospitals in neighbouring communities such as Brockville and Winchester.
  • The Kingston health unit has declared an outbreak of COVID-19 in the community’s university district where 70 cases involve 18 to 29 year olds. There are 95 cases in all in the region.
  • Ontario has reported it has now seen 378,339 total cases of COVID-19, adding 4,227 cases today. The death toll rose by 18 to 7,512. There are 1,492 people in hospital, up 75, with 552 in intensive care, up 27, and 359 on a ventilator, up 28. Today, the province says there are 1,218 new cases in Toronto, 762 in Peel, 532 in York Region and 247 in Durham. There has been a total of 341,200 resolved cases, up 2,641 today.
  • The province has now identified 11,492 cases of the B117 UK variant, 76 cases of the B1351 South African variant and 133 cases of the P1/P2 Brazilian variant.
  • Ontario has administered 2,940,166 doses of vaccine; 328,598 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.
  • The province completed 61,410 tests the previous day. There have been 13,030,542 tests conducted so far. There are 42,572 tests under review.
  • There are 46 long-term care homes reporting an outbreak. There are 15 residents with an infection and 118 staff. So far in the pandemic, 3,905 residents have died because of COVID-19 infection.
  • Ontario is telling hospitals across most of the province to stop performing all but emergency and life-saving surgeries starting Monday because of the growing caseload of COVID-19 patients.
  • Ontario has issued a stay at home order, closing non-essential retail stores for all but delivery and curbside pickup starting Thursday at 12:01 a.m. This is the province’s third emergency declaration during the pandemic. It will last until at least May 6.
  • The province is accelerating and adjusting its vaccination plan. People 60 and up are now able to book appointments for a vaccine, along with targeting those with highest risk conditions and people 18 and up in 90 hot spots as defined by postal code in Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Niagara, Ottawa, Peel, Simcoe-Muskoka, Southwestern, Toronto, Waterloo, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, Windsor-Essex and York Region. Starting April 12, and beginning in Toronto and Peel Region, teachers and other essential workers in hot zones are eligible. Special education teachers across the province are also now eligible.
  • Speaking of that Premier Doug Ford got a first shot of AstraZeneca Friday and urged all eligible Ontarians to get vaccinated ASAP. He told reporters that he believes “Ontario’s doing pretty well right now” compared to some other jurisdictions.
  • Quebec has now recorded 323,094 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The province reported 1,683 new cases today. So far 300,471 have recovered. The death toll is 10,726, up eight. The number in hospital is 569, up three, with 134 in intensive care, up two. The province completed 46,712 tests on April 7 for a total of 7,757,383. Quebec has injected 1,754,749; doses of vaccine so far. So far, 2,358,095 doses have been received in total.
  • The Outaouais reported 120 new cases of infection for a total of 8,713, along with a total of 178 deaths, up three. Some 7,675 cases have been resolved. There are 860 active cases. There have been 70,834 people in the region vaccinated with at least one dose. The Outaouais is in a red zone lockdown with an 8 p.m. curfew.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting three new confirmed cases.
  • New Brunswick is reporting eight new cases and one more death.
  • Nova Scotia is reporting two more cases.
  • Manitoba public health reported 179 new COVID-19 cases along with three deaths.
  • A group of 285 Saskatchewan physicians are urging the provincial government to implement stricter COVID-19 health measures and vaccinate younger essential workers. As well, yhe Anglican bishop of the diocese of Saskatchewan, Michael Hawkins, says Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 response has been “morally reprehensible.” The province reported 358 cases and six more deaths today.
  • Alberta Health announced a total of 1,521 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed over the last 24 hours. An additional 674 cases of variants of concern were confirmed. Two more deaths were reported.
  • British Columbia confirms 1,262 new cases and two more deaths.
  • So far Canada has seen 1,045,177+ confirmed cases. There have been 23,251+ deaths from the infection and 951,162+ recoveries. There are 64,291+ active cases.
  • Dr. Theresa Tam says “the race” between COVID-19 vaccines and variants is at a “critical point. … The modelling from two weeks ago that forecasts a resurgence is playing out in the data we are seeing now, with case counts plotting along the strong resurgence trajectory,” she said, adding stronger controls are needed to combat cases of variants of concern which have doubled in a week. These controls should reduce contacts and mobility as people try to stay home as much as possible.
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters and the country that he recognized the “frustration, the anxiety, the concern” that Canadians have. “I think we’re all recognizing that we don’t want to be in this third wave, but we’re here. … We’ve been working very closely with the provinces and territories to ensure that they have the supports necessary to make the right decision for their jurisdictions. This third wave is more serious and we need to hang in there for another few weeks to make sure that we can flatten that curve, drop those numbers down again
  • The prime minister said that the Canadian Red Cross has been asked to help long term care homes cope with outbreaks across the country.
  • Statistics Canada says employment rose 303,000 (1.6 per cent) in March, and was within 1.5 per cent of its pre-COVID February 2020 level. The unemployment rate fell 0.7 percentage points to 7.5 per cent, the lowest level since February 2020. Both full- (175,000; 1.2 per cent) and part-time (128,000; 3.9 per cent) employment increased. Self-employment rose for the first time in three months, up 56,000 (2.1 per cent), but remained 5.4 per cent (156,000) below pre-COVID February 2020 levels.
  • As provinces adjust to rising daily case counts and the logistical challenges of mass inoculation, new data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds Canadians increasingly disappointed in their provincial leaders. At least half in Saskatchewan (50 per cent), Manitoba (59 per cent), Ontario (65 per cent), and Alberta (75 per cent) now say that their premier is doing a poor job handling the pandemic.
  • There have now been 134,102,467+ confirmed cases worldwide with 2,905,149+ deaths and 76,218,908+ recoveries.

For updates from Feb. 8 to April 8, please see tracking-covid-19-feb-8/

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