2 months ago
18 Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Thursday
B.C., Alberta report record single-day increases in cases; Saskatchewan, Manitoba also see high numbers
The latest:
Ontario reports 841 new COVID-19 cases, 7-day average rising. Quebec reports 1,033 new cases of COVID-19. B.C., Alberta report highest single-day increases in COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. Alberta minister tests positive, premier self-isolates. Manitoba says 27 COVID-19 cases at poultry plant appear to be linked to community spread. Former Belgian PM Sophie Wilmes hospitalized in intensive care with coronavirus. South Korea sees 1st triple-digit daily jump in new COVID-19 cases in a week.Provinces in Western Canada continue to see some of their highest numbers yet in new confirmed COVID-19 cases.
British Columbia reported 203 new confirmed cases on Wednesday, its highest one-day total since the pandemic began, as well as two additional deaths.
Health officials also confirmed the province's first outbreak in a school setting. Three people have tested positive for the virus at École de l'Anse-au-sable school in Kelowna, and all students from kindergarten to Grade 3 and staff who work with them have been asked to stay home and self-isolate for two weeks.
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Alberta also broke its single-day record for COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, reporting 406 cases, as well as three deaths. The province also hit a record in active cases, with 3,372.
The numbers came as the province said that Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard has tested positive for COVID-19 and Premier Jason Kenney is in self-isolation.
In a statement posted to Twitter Wednesday night, Kenney said he has tested negative but will continue to isolate at home until Oct. 29 per public health guidelines.
<a href="https://t.co/pCLs5xcoQv">pic.twitter.com/pCLs5xcoQv</a>
—@jkenneyMeanwhile, Saskatchewan saw its third-highest daily bump in cases since the beginning of the pandemic with 57 new cases of COVID-19 reported on Wednesday.
New cases in Saskatoon continue to be primarily linked with outbreaks at local nightclubs.
Manitoba also reported its third-highest one-day increase in COVID-19 cases with 135 on Wednesday, most of which are in the Winnipeg health region, and one additional death.
Twenty-seven workers at the Exceldor Cooperative poultry plant in southeastern Manitoba have tested positive for COVID-19, though the province says there have been no signs of spread within the workplace and that the cases appear to be the result of community transmission.
What's happening elsewhere in Canada
As of 12:45 ET on Thursday, Canada had 208,235 confirmed or presumptive coronavirus cases. Provinces and territories listed 175,257 of those as recovered or resolved. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial reports, regional health information and CBC's reporting rose to 9,858.
Ontario reported 841 new cases of COVID-19 and nine additional deaths on Thursday.
WATCH | Toronto's top doctor urges vigilance against COVID-19:
The seven-day average of new daily cases is starting to climb again after a brief lull and is now sitting at about 761. That is still below the most recent peak of 781 that came earlier this month, but marks a consistent rise in the last four days.
Quebec on Wednesday reported 1,033 new cases of COVID-19 and 20 more deaths, eight of which were in the past 24 hours.
WATCH | Quebec study to look at COVID-19's impact on kids:
Premier François Legault is set to provide a COVID-19 update at 1 p.m. ET, less than a week away from the earliest possible end date to Quebec's red-zone restrictions. Legault has already said many restrictions will be extended beyond Oct. 28.
Newfoundland and Labrador reported one new case of COVID-19 and one additional recovery on Thursday.
Nova Scotia reported no new COVID-19 cases and one recovery on Thursday.
New Brunswick recorded six new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and also its fourth death, a man in his 70s in the Campbellton region.
Prince Edward Island has not reported on its COVID-19 numbers since Tuesday, when it recorded one new case and one new recovery, leaving the number of active cases in the province at three.
Yukon, which has seen a total of 17 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, also reported no new cases on Wednesday.
In the Northwest Territories, health officials confirmed two cases of COVID-19 in Yellowknife on Wednesday, bringing its total since the start of the pandemic to eight. Meanwhile, a presumptive case of COVID-19 at the Gahcho Kué Diamond Mine was deemed a false alarm.
Nunavut confirmed a presumptive positive case of COVID-19 at the Mary River Mine on Wednesday. The person, who is not a Nunavut resident, is asymptomatic and in isolation, a government press release said.
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According to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the global total of confirmed coronavirus cases stands at more than 41.3 million. More than 1.1 million people have died, while more than 28.1 million have recovered.
In Europe, Slovenia's confirmed coronavirus cases have soared to another daily record of 1,663, and the country has reported the deaths of five more people with COVID-19.
Neighbouring Croatia also set a new daily record on Thursday with 1,563 new cases and 13 deaths, most of them in the capital, Zagreb.
Authorities in both countries have warned that if the infection rates continue to climb at their current pace, hospitals could run out of unoccupied beds.
In Belgium, Foreign Minister and former prime minister Sophie Wilmes has been hospitalized in intensive care with the coronavirus. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wilmes is in stable condition and conscious and that her condition "is not worrying."
In Asia, South Korea reported 121 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, its first triple-digit daily jump in a week amid concerns about the country easing physical distancing restrictions just last week to cope with a weak economy.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Thursday that South Korea's caseload is now at 25,543 for the pandemic, including 453 deaths. Hundreds of recent infections have been tied to hospitals in major cities such as Seoul and Busan.
India reported 55,839 new cases and 702 additional deaths on Thursday. It is the third day in a row that the country has added fewer than 60,000 new cases, but authorities worry that upcoming elections in Bihar, the country's third-largest state, could spread the virus.
Health officials also are concerned about the potential spread during religious festivals. In West Bengal state, a court limited the size of congregations during the Hindu Durga Puja festival.
In the Americas, Mexican health officials estimated Wednesday that the country has risen above one million coronavirus cases, though the figure includes both confirmed infections as well as suspected cases. Mexico has an extremely low testing rate.
Officials put the country's apparent deaths from COVID-19 at 102,293, again including cases in which patients were not tested for the virus but had symptoms judged to be caused by COVID-19.
Africa has reported more than 1.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started, with more than 40,000 deaths and over 1.3 million recoveries.
A <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WHO</a> team goes door-to-door in N'Zérékoré, Guinea 🇬🇳 to raise awareness about <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> & the important prevention measures. Communities can control the spread of the virus by wearing masks, keeping a distance & frequently practicing hand hygiene. <a href="https://t.co/4lAGDEd854">pic.twitter.com/4lAGDEd854</a>
—@WHOAFROThe World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa held a press briefing Thursday to talk about the large-scale rollout of antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests for COVID-19 on the continent, with Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, saying it will be a "game changer" in the fight against COVID-19.
Moeti noted that Africa has faced a significant testing gap, citing that, for example, Senegal is testing 14 times less than the Netherlands despite significantly boosting its testing capacity, while Nigeria is testing 11 times less than Brazil.
Have a coronavirus question or news tip for CBC News? Email us at COVID@cbc.ca
With files from Reuters and The Associated Press
English (United States)
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