Daily COVID-19 case counts could hit 12,000 a day if Canadians maintain or increase contacts
After two months of relative stability, Canada's COVID-19 case count is expected to rise rapidly in the coming weeks as virus variants take hold.
Canada is projected to hit roughly 1 million total cases next week, according to data released today by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
While the vaccination campaign has ramped up after a period of scarcity, the rollout can't keep pace with the spread of the virus, said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer. Tam today urged Canadians to reduce their contacts in the medium-term while provinces and territories deploy more shots in the months to come.
"COVID-19 still has a few tricks in store and we need to hold on together a bit stronger and longer until vaccines have us protected," Tam said.
While the setback is "discouraging," she said, better days are ahead. "We are closer now than ever, but it's still too soon to relax measures."
Asked today when things might return to a pre-pandemic "normal," Tam said that day is not imminent. With the caseload curve trending up, variants accelerating and vaccine distribution still quite low, a post-COVID-19 Canada is still months away, she said.
"It's not going to be, 'Here's a date and after that date all is going to be good.' It's data, not dates," she said. "By the fall — that's what I think we should be aiming for."
