Yahoo News Canada is committed to providing our readers with the most accurate and recent information on all things coronavirus. We know things change quickly, including some possible information in this story. For the latest on COVID-19, we encourage our readers to consult online resources like Canada’s public health website, World Health Organization, as well as our own Yahoo Canada homepage.
7,057 active COVID-19 cases in Canada: 136,659 diagnoses, 9,171 deaths and 120,431 recoveries (as of Sept. 13, 4:30 p.m. ET)
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Alberta – 1,444 active cases (15,415 total cases, including 253 deaths, 13,718 resolved)
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British Columbia – 1,461 active cases (6,962 total cases, 213 deaths, 5,273 resolved)
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Manitoba – 239 active cases (1,428 total cases, 16 deaths, 1,173 resolved)
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New Brunswick – 2 active cases (193 cases, 2 deaths, 189 resolved)
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Newfoundland and Labrador – 2 active cases (271 total cases, 3 deaths, 266 resolved)
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Northwest Territories – 0 active cases (5 total cases, 5 resolved)
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Nova Scotia – 1 active cases (1,086 total cases, 65 deaths 1,020 resolved)
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Ontario – 1,848 active cases (44,504 total cases, 2,815 deaths, 39,841 resolved)
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Prince Edward Island – 8 active cases (55 total cases, 47 resolved)
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Quebec – 1,938 active cases (64,986 total cases, 5,780 deaths, 57,268 resolved)
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Saskatchewan – 99 active cases (1,726 total cases, 24 deaths, 1,603 resolved)
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Yukon – 0 active cases (15 total cases, 15 resolved)
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Nunavut – 0 active cases (4 false positive cases)
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CFB Trenton – 0 active cases (13 total cases, 13 resolved)
Authorities have been working to contain the spread of COVID-19, with Canadians having contracted the virus from travel to other countries, human-to-human transmission, as well as community spread.
Of the over 134,000 cases that been diagnosed nationwide, at least 118,000 of them have been resolved, meaning those people are no longer considered infectious. As daily cases of COVID-19 decline across the country, Yahoo News Canada will focus on reporting “active cases” to put into context our current situation.
Timeline of coronavirus cases in Canada September 2020
Sept. 13
Seven cases linked to Toronto strip club prompts COVID-19 exposure alert
Toronto Public Health (TPH) is warning of a potential exposure to COVID-19 at a strip club, after seven people who were at the venue tested positive.
Six employees and one patron have been diagnosed with the virus after being at Club Paradise, located at 1313 Bloor St. W., between Aug. 29-Sept. 10. Cases started to emerge Sept. 4, according to a press release by TPH.
Anyone who was at Club Paradise between those dates is being asked to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days after their last visit. They should also make a particular effort to keep a six-foot distance from other people, wear a mask in public spaces and wash their hands.
The risk to patrons is currently considered “low,” while Club Paradise has taken the voluntary decision to close for a two-week period.
“Investigations by TPH inspectors on Aug. 20 and Sept. 5 found the establishment to be in compliance with all reopening protocols,” via the press release.
Toronto Public Health has released a list of guidelines for adult entertainment venues. Among them is that lap dances are prohibited, while establishments must maintain a customer log to help with contact tracing efforts.
Based on the information provided in Club Paradise’s contact tracing logs for staff and patrons, TPH has followed up with all known close contacts Those individuals have been instructed to self-isolate for 14 days and to go for testing.
In August, more than 500 people were asked to self-isolate for 14 days after a Toronto strip club employee at the Brass Rail Tavern tested positive for COVID-19. An initial investigation found that the venue was not in compliance with COVID-19 protocols. A patron also later tested positive.
Quebec reports its most new cases since early June
Quebec health officials have identified 279 new cases of COVID-19, the most in a 24-hour stretch since June 3.
It’s also the third straight day that the province has recorded over 200 cases. The last time it had a similar stretch was June 5-7. Officials have now reported over 100 cases in 16 straight reporting periods; before the recent stretch, it had recorded fewer than 100 cases on 14 of its last 18 occasions.
In recent weeks, the virus has spread all throughout the province in various settings. Of the most recent 279 cases, 57 were identified in Montreal, 42 in Quebec City, 38 in Montérégie, 27 in Laval, 26 in the Laurentides, 21 in Bas-Saint-Laurent, 20 in Chaudière-Appalaches, 17 in Estrie and 15 in Outaouais.
Quebec’s testing numbers are reflective of its output from two days prior. Most recently, it completed 20,479 tests for COVID-19. It’s the third straight time that labs have completed at least 20,000 tests — a mark it had never hit before.
“All Quebecers have a responsibility and that is to prevent a second wave. … We’re not in a second wave but the trend is not good,” said Quebec Premier François Legault on Friday.
“I don’t plan and I don’t hope to have to go into each house, so I’m asking the population, please look at the number of cases, look at the virus. It’s serious, so please don’t do big parties without respecting the directives.”
One more person has died in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch. However, the death toll remains at 5,780, since an investigation has determined that a previously announced fatality was in fact not due to COVID-19.
Two-hundred and fourteen patients have also recently recovered. Throughout the province, there are 1,938 active cases, up by 65 since Saturday. Of those currently infected patients, 124 of them are in hospital, which includes 19 in intensive care.
On Saturday, several thousands of people gathered in downtown Montreal to protest against the Quebec’s government’s most recent mask mandate; it allows police to fine anyone who isn’t wearing a mask when required to, such as in enclosed public places.
Throughout the pandemic, Quebec has been Canada’s worst-hit province. It currently has the most total cases (64,986), active cases (1,938) and deaths (5,780) of all of the nation’s jurisdictions.
Worrisome stretch continues in Ontario as it reports over 200 daily cases for third straight day
On Sunday, Ontario announced that they recorded 204 new cases of COVID-19 in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch.
It’s now the third day in a row that it has reported at least 200 cases, with officials announcing 232 on Saturday, and 213 on Friday. Before the recent stretch, the province had not posted over 200 cases since June 29. The last time it had three consecutive days above 200 was during its June 4-6 stretch.
Of the most recent 204 new cases, 63 were identified in Toronto, 47 in Ottawa, 35 in Peel, and 13 in Windsor-Essex. Twenty-seven of the 34 public health units reported five or fewer cases, while 16 reported no new patients at all.
“It’s not the City of Toronto or Peel Region’s fault,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday. “This is happening, we’ve got to work together. All I’ve been asking is, please try to avoid these big gatherings. Just follow the guidelines and everyone will be OK.”
Of the recent group of 204, 106 of them were among those 20-39 year old, the most of any age group, followed by 38 cases among those 40-59 years old. Seven are among long-term care residents, and two are health-care workers.
The cases were identified after the province completed 31,143 tests for COVID-19, which marks the third straight day that it has completed over 30,000. The positive test rate over the past three days has been 0.7 per cent. Aside from a three-day stretch earlier this month, the 0.7 rate is the highest the province has seen since July.
In the latest 24-hour stretch, the province also reported one more fatality, involving a LTC resident, which increases the death toll to 2,815. One-hundred and twenty-four more patients have recovered in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch.
Throughout Ontario, there are now 1,848 active cases of COVID-19, the most since July 4. Toronto leads the way with 545 currently infected patients, followed by Peel (486), Ottawa (280) and York (156). All the other 30 public health units have fewer than 60.
Of those currently infected individuals, there are 39 in hospital, which includes 14 in intensive care and nine who require a ventilator. The Ministry of Health did note that about 35 hospitals did not provide data over the weekend.
Updates from the rest of Canada
No new cases were identified in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick, as those provinces continue to have one and two active cases, respectively. As of Prince Edward Island’s latest update on Friday, there are eight active cases in the province.
No new cases were also identified in Newfoundland and Labrador. In a press release, officials said that a presumptive case identified at the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) mine in Labrador has turned out to be negative. On Saturday, the province announced its first case since Sept. 5, involving an individual who recently returned from Newfoundland and Labrador. There are now two active cases in N.L.
Eighteen new cases were identified in Manitoba, with 11 in Winnipeg, three in Southern Health, two in Interlake-Eastern and one each in the Northern and Prairie Mountain regions. Seventeen more people have also recovered, which means there are now 239 active cases in the province. Of those currently infected patients, 154 of them are in Winnipeg and 44 in Prairie Mountain, which used to be the province’s epicentre.
There are 17 new cases in Saskatchewan throughout the Saskatoon (14), Central West (one) and Central East (one) zones. The location of the 17th case is still pending. According to a press release, at least six of the 14 cases in the Saskatoon zone are connected to a private gathering. One more person has recovered in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch, which leaves 99 active cases in the province. Of those currently infected residents, 38 are in the Saskatoon zone, while 26 are in the Central East zone. All the other 11 zones have fewer than 10 active cases.
Nunavut remains the only jurisdiction to not have had a confirmed positive case throughout the pandemic. The Northwest Territories have zero active cases, and so does Yukon after its two remaining cases were marked resolved on Aug. 13.
Sept. 11
Ontario reports its largest case spike since June
Ontario reported 213 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, which is the most in a 24-hour stretch since June 29.
It’s the first time that the province has eclipsed at least 200 daily cases since July 21, and the 16th straight day that it has recorded over 100 cases of COVID-19. In early August, Ontario was able to stay under triple-digits on seven-straight occasions, as it made a habit of reporting fewer than 100 cases.
Of the most recent 213 cases, 71 were identified in Toronto, 38 in Peel, 37 in Ottawa, 15 in Waterloo and 14 in York. Of Ontario’s 34 public health units, 26 of them reported five of fewer cases, while 18 reported no new cases at all. Of all the recently identified patients, 143 of them are under the age of 40 (67 per cent of the cases).
“It’s not the City of Toronto or Peel Region’s fault,” said Ford on Friday. “This is happening, we’ve got to work together. All I’ve been asking is, please try to avoid these big gatherings. Just follow the guidelines and everyone will be OK.”
In the latest 24-hour stretch, 124 more people have recovered, while the province subtracted one fatality from its death toll of 2,813. There are now 1,657 currently infected patients in Ontario, the most since July 9.
To end the work-week, the province also launched a public website that will track the number of COVID-19 cases in schools. As of Friday morning, there are 13 cases at schools in Ontario, including nine staff members. All four student cases are at French Catholic schools in Ottawa.
Quebec reports its most new cases since June
Health officials in Quebec have identified 219 new cases of COVID-19, which is the most they have announced since June 7.
Of the most recent cases, 42 are in Quebec City, 40 in Montreal, 20 in Montérégie, 19 in Bas-Saint-Laurent, and 18 each in both the Outaouais and Chaudière-Appalaches regions, according to the Montreal Gazette.
It’s now the third time in the past six days the province has recorded at least 200 cases of COVID-19. Officials have also reported over 100 cases in 14 straight reporting periods. Before the recent stretch, it had recorded fewer than 100 cases on 14 of its last 18 occasions.
“All Quebecers have a responsibility and that is to prevent a second wave. … We’re not in a second wave but the trend is not good,” said Premier François Legault on Friday.
“I don’t plan and I don’t hope to have to go into each house, so I’m asking the population, please look at the number of cases, look at the virus. It’s serious, so please don’t do big parties without respecting the directives.”
In recent weeks, the virus has spread all throughout the province in various settings. On Friday, officials announced that they will ban karaoke, while ordering bars to keep customer logs from now on. It comes after a karaoke night held at a Quebec City bar on Aug. 23 has been linked to more than 80 cases, with secondary cases identified in at least three schools.
On Friday, the province withdrew data on its COVID-19 situation within schools. Legault said it was because the information was incomplete and unreliable.
Throughout Quebec, there are now 1,846 active cases of COVID-19, since 219 more patients have recovered. No one has died in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch, but officials added three more fatalities to its death toll from previous dates. Two deaths were also removed since investigations have shown that the causes of death are not attributable to COVID-19. The death toll now stands at 5,774.
Updates from the rest of Canada
One-hundred thirty-two new cases were recorded in British Columbia, which marks the province’s second largest daily increase to its total case count. It’s only behind Thursday’s increase of 139. Eighty-three more patients have recovered, but the province’s active case count still reached another record-high of 1,461.
Officials continue to ask B.C. residents to check the growing list of public exposure warnings as part of contact tracing efforts. As of Thursday, there are 3,198 people who are self-isolating and are being actively monitored by B.C. public health, since they were in contact with a known COVID-19 patient.
No new cases were identified in Nova Scotia or Newfoundland and Labrador, as their active case counts remain at two and one, respectively. A patient has recovered in New Brunswick, dropping its active case count to two, while three cases have been resolved in Prince Edward Island, where there are eight currently infected patients.
For the second straight day, health officials in Manitoba have identified 15 new cases of COVID-19; eight of them were identified in Winnipeg, four in Prairie Mountain and three in Southern Health. Eighty-eight more people have recovered, which drops its active case to 287. It’s the fewest number of active cases the province has had in weeks.
Thirteen new cases were identified in Saskatchewan’s Central East (seven), Saskatoon (four), Far North East (one), and Regina (one) zones. Five more patients have also recovered, which brings the province’s active case count to 66; 20 of those infected patients are in the Saskatoon zone, the most of any zone. Health officials are also warning of a potential COVID-19 exposure at Regina International Airport, involving a trip arriving from Toronto.
A resident of Edmonton’s Good Samaritan Care Centre has passed away, which marks the latest fatality in Alberta. However, the death toll remains at 253, since one previously recorded death has turned out not to be related to the virus. Health officials also identified 111 new cases of COVID-19 in the same stretch that 161 patients have recorded; it drops the active case count to 1,444.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said there are 29 schools across the province where an individual attended while infectious, with 32 cases linked to these schools. Three school outbreaks remained active.
Sept. 10
Three COVID-19 outbreaks declared among schools in Alberta
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said there are three schools that have at least two infected individuals, but there is currently no evidence of broader transmission.
“While we are calling these outbreaks, this is a very cautious use of the term,” said Hinshaw on Thursday. “We are acting out of an abundance of caution by treating two cases who are in a school while infectious within a 14-day span as an outbreak, even when the cases are within one family.”
Two of the schools are in Calgary: Henry Wise Wood high school and St. Wilfrid elementary school. The third is Chinook High School in Lethbridge.
On Thursday, 113 new cases, five fatalities and 199 recoveries were recorded, as Alberta’s active case count dropped to 1,494. Throughout the province, there are 24 cases at 21 schools, said Hinshaw.
For more on how Alberta Health Services is planning on dealing with the three outbreaks, please read here.
Manitoba records its first case in a school since reopening
Manitoba’s chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said Thursday that the province has identified its first case in a school setting.
The unidentified Grade 7 student at Churchill High School in Winnipeg had been tested for COVID-19 before the first day of school Tuesday, even though they had no symptoms. Classes have continued, and students are being asked to self-monitor for symptoms, but not to self-isolate.
“This individual did everything that they were supposed to do and that resulted in no close contacts being identified in this area,” said Roussin.
The Winnipeg School Division said to The Canadian Press that the student wore a mask while in school and they they also maintained physical distancing the entire time.
On Thursday, Roussin announced 15 new cases in Manitoba’s latest 24-hour stretch, with nine of them in Winnipeg. However, with 57 recently resolved cases, its active case count dropped to 360 — the lowest it’s been in weeks.
For more on the situation involving Manitoba’s first case in a school setting, please read here.
British Columbia records its most ever new daily cases
On the same day that schools reopened across British Columbia, health officials announced a record-high 139 new daily cases of COVID-19.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said moving forward we can expect cases in schools — which has happened in other provinces across the country — but a system-wide closure would only happen under severe circumstances.
“That would mean that we were in dire straits in many other aspects of our community and that’s what we’re trying absolutely to avoid,” said Henry on Thursday.
With the latest update, there are now 1,412 currently infected patients in the province, the most ever throughout the pandemic. Officials continue to ask B.C. residents to check the growing list of public exposure warnings as part of contact tracing efforts. As of Thursday, there are 3,109 people who are self-isolating and are being actively monitored by B.C. public health, since they were in contact with a known COVID-19 patient.
For more on how B.C. will balance its school reopening plan and its worrisome COVID-19 trend, please read here.
Updates from the rest of Canada
In Ontario, there were 170 new cases of COVID-19 reported on Thursday. The province also reported one additional death. The majority of new cases were in the Toronto area with 55, while York Region and Peel Region saw 28 and 22 new cases, respectively. Out of Ontario’s 34 public health regions, 28 reported five or fewer new cases, with 14 of them reporting no new cases at all. There are now 1,567 active cases throughout the province, since 142 more patients have recovered.
There were 188 new cases reported in Quebec, as well as two additional deaths linked to the virus, one of which occured in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch. With 224 patients having recently recovered, there are now 1,847 active cases in Quebec. In an effort to curb the steadily-rising number of infections in the province, Quebec will be issuing fines starting Saturday for those who refuse to wear masks.
On Wednesday, all in-person activities and courses were suspended at two Cégep schools in Quebec’s Bas-Saint-Laurent region after several students tested positive for COVID-19. According to health officials, the cases are likely connected to a party held in the region at the end of August, where more than 100 people were in attendance.
A resident of New Brunswick tested positive for COVID-19 in Quebec yesterday, bringing the province’s total number of active cases to three. The individual will stay in Quebec until they recover.
Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia’s active case count fell to two; Newfoundland and Labrador saw no new cases for the fifth day in a row, as its active case count stands at one. Prince Edward Island announced no new cases on Thursday after several were identified earlier in the week, related to international travel. There are still 11 active cases on the island.
Saskatchewan health officials have identified six new cases in the same 24-hour stretch that six more people have recovered. It means there are still 59 active cases throughout the province, with 16 of those in Saskatoon (the most of any of its zones).
Sept. 9
Ontario reported 149 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, down from what it had reported earlier in the week. Overall, the province saw a slight increase in the number of cases when compared to recoveries. The latest update comes as Premier Doug Ford meets with Quebec Premier François Legault to identify key areas of cooperation in the midst of the virus.
Meanwhile in Quebec, 180 new cases of COVID-19 were identified, slightly elevated above the threshold at which authorities hope to keep new cases. Montrealers in particular are being advised not to gather with family and friends in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.
Across Atlantic Canada, cases remained largely flat. In Nova Scotia, there was a possible reinfection of an individual in a long-term care facility; authorities are in the process of confirming the case, which was announced on Monday. New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador reported no new cases. Prince Edward Island identified two new cases, bringing the total number of active cases to 11.
Manitoba reported 16 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. There are currently 404 cases active in the province. The update comes as the governing Progressive Conservative party says it aims to resume legislature next month with nearly normal operating procedures.
In Saskatchewan, there was one new case of COVID-19 identified, bringing the total number of active cases to 59. One person remains in intensive care with the virus in Saskatoon.
Alberta saw 98 new cases reported on Wednesday, with the majority of active cases in the Calgary and Edmonton areas. The province has also launched an online map for tracking COVID-19 cases in schools, as the province has confirmed that there are 16 cases at 16 of its schools. All of the cases were contracted from outside the school.
In British Columbia, 100 new cases of COVID-19 were identified. With 37 patients currently in hospital with the virus, including 13 in intensive care, the province is currently seeing its highest number of hospitalizations since May 27. More than 3,000 people are currently being monitored due to exposure to known cases.
Sept. 8
On Tuesday, Ontario reported 375 new cases of COVID-19 over the last two days, as no reporting was done on Labour Day. There were 180 new cases on Tuesday and 195 new cases on Monday, making these the highest increases the province has seen since July. The regions with the most new cases on Tuesday were Toronto (48), Peel (42) and Ottawa (37) health regions. Toronto Mayor John Tory stressed during a press conference on Tuesday that many of these new cases are young people, with 65 per cent of new cases in Toronto over the last month under the age of 40. Out of Ontario’s 32 public health units, 28 reported five or fewer cases, with 18 reporting no new cases at all.
In Quebec, 163 new cases were identified on Tuesday. The previous two days saw new cases exceed 200 daily. Some of the people who have been identified as having COVID-19 include the mayor of Longueuil and six possible cases that rode French Catholic school board buses in Ottawa. There are now 1,944 active cases of COVID-19 in Quebec, including 105 in hospital.
Across Atlantic Canada, the most dramatic increase in COVID-19 occurred in Prince Edward Island. Two new cases were identified, in addition to four new cases reported on Labour day, brining the total number of active cases in the province to nine. All of the active cases are related to international travel, and all were detected while people were self isolating after arriving in P.E.I., as per government guidelines. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador saw no new cases identified.
Sept. 7
Canada’s top doctor concerned over Canada’s rising case count
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, expressed “concern” over the country’s rising case trend.
Instead of holding a press conference Monday, Tam released a statement to warn Canadians of their COVID-19 situation. Over the last week (Aug. 30- Sept. 6), Canada reported an average of 545 cases a day, up by 25 per cent compared to the week before when 435 cases were reported daily. Two weeks prior, there was an average of 390 daily cases.
“The average daily case count has been increasing in recent weeks,” said Tam in her press release. “This is a concern and a reminder that we all need to maintain public health measures to keep COVID-19 on the slow-burn path that we need.”
With the fall months approaching, Tam is warning Canadians to be more mindful of events they attend, especially as the colder weather shifts activities indoors.
“While I know we are all eager to gather with our extended family and friends for the holidays, indoor gatherings may not be right for every Canadian or every family,” said Tam in a press release that includes a list of questions you should ask yourself before attending an event.
In the last week, some of Canada’s biggest provinces have seen their concerning case trends continue to grow. Some health officials have linked the rise in cases to an increase in gatherings, primarily among young people.
In British Columbia’s final update of the week, it announced its second largest ever case increase since the start of the pandemic. The 121 new cases on Friday were only behind the 124 cases it had reported a week prior, but the update still led to a record-high active case count of 1,233. Officials continue to ask B.C. residents to check the growing list of public exposure warnings as part of contact tracing efforts.
Alberta finished the week with 1,433 active cases. According to Alberta Health Services, it marks the highest number of currently infected patients the province has had since May 10.
Ontario recorded a triple-digit case increase each day of the last week. In early August, the province was able to stay under triple-digits on seven-straight occasions, as it made a habit of reporting fewer than 100 cases. On Sept. 5, health officials also announced 169 new cases, which marked the largest spike in daily cases the province has recorded since July 24.
In Quebec, health officials recorded over 100 cases on each occasion throughout the past week, as part of a 10-day stretch of recording a triple-digit increase. Before the recent stretch, it had recorded fewer than 100 cases on 14 of its last 18 occasions. On Sept. 6, Quebec reported 205 new cases of COVID-19, which marked its largest single day spike since June 7. On Friday, the province also announced that 46 of its schools had at least one case of COVID-19 within the first week of classes.
Saskatchewan and the Atlantic provinces have seen their COVID-19 case trends remain stable. But in the last week, Prince Edward Island did record three cases, after all of its other patients had recovered by Aug. 31.
In Manitoba, the province’s active case count is no longer hitting record-highs, which was common throughout the second-half of August. On July 14, the province came very close to having no active cases. That day, after all of its initial patients had recovered, health officials diagnosed five other people. Since then, Manitoba has seen its curb trend upwards. On Aug. 12, for the first time, the province surpassed 200 active cases. On Aug. 26, it hit the 400-mark, which it hasn’t been able to fall under since.
Montréal, Québec City lead the province’s largest case spike in 3 months
Health officials in Québec have identified 216 new cases of COVID-19 in their latest 24-hour stretch, the most since June 7.
It comes a day after the province recorded 205 cases. It’s now the 10th straight reporting period that the province has recorded over 100 cases. Before the recent stretch, it had stayed below that mark on 14 of its last 18 occasions.
Of the most recent cases, 63 were identified in the Montréal region, 51 in the Québec City region, 34 in the Montérégie region, and 18 each in the Laval and Lanaudière regions.
The recent amount of daily cases by Montréal and Québec City are more than what Saskatchewan (34), Prince Edward Island (three), Nova Scotia (two), Newfoundland and Labrador (one) and New Brunswick (one) combined to report all of last week (41).
Québec health minister Christian Dubé said on Aug. 25 that Quebec should not go beyond 160 cases per day, which works out to about 20 cases per one million residents. It’s now eclipsed that mark on five straight occasions.
The recent update is part of a concerning trend for the province, considering it’s now navigating the COVID-19 pandemic at the same time as its school reopening plan.
On Friday, Québec health officials released a list of 46 schools that have had a case of COVID-19 among either students or staff members throughout the first week of reopening. However, Dubé said there have been no outbreaks, and instead in most instances the school has had an isolated case involving an individual who was infected outside of the school setting.
For example, on Wednesday, health officials announced that a karaoke bar outbreak in Québec City resulted in 40 infected patrons, leading to secondary spread among three students in three different schools.
Throughout the pandemic, Quebec has led the way with 63,713 total cases of COVID-19. Eighty-nine more patients have recovered in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch. No one has died, but officials added one more fatality to its death toll of 5,770, which occurred between Aug. 31-Sept. 5.
There are now 1,983 active cases of COVID-19 in Quebec, the most of any province in Canada. According to Steve Faguy of the Montreal Gazette, it’s now the ninth straight day that the province’s active case count has risen — most recently by 126.
Updates from the rest of Canada
Ontario health officials said that they won’t provide a statistical update on the province’s COVID-19 situation on Labour Day. The province will have an update on Tuesday for its two latest 24-hour reporting periods.
One new case has been identified in Nova Scotia, the first since Aug. 31. The most recent patient is in the Central Zone and is currently under investigation by health officials. There are now four active cases in Nova Scotia.
No new cases were identified in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island, as they continue to have two, three, and three active cases respectively.
Fifteen new cases were identified in Manitoba. That includes seven in Winnipeg, six in Prairie Mountain and one each in the Interlake-Eastern and Southern regions. Five of the cases are close contacts of previously identified cases. Twelve more patients have recovered in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch, which leaves Manitoba with 412 currently infected citizens.
Eleven more people were diagnosed in Saskatchewan. There were two cases each in the Far North West Saskatoon and Central West zones, and one each in the Central East, South West, South Central and South East zones. The location of the 11th case is still pending. One more person has also recovered, which leaves the province with 58 active cases.
Sept. 6
Quebec reports its most new cases in almost 3 months
Quebec reported 205 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, which marks its largest single day spike since June 7.
The province has now reported over 100 cases in nine straight reporting periods. Before the recent stretch, it had recorded fewer than 100 cases on 14 of its last 18 occasions.
On Aug. 25, health minister Christian Dubé said that Quebec should not go beyond 160 cases per day, which works out to about 20 cases per one million residents. It’s now eclipsed that mark on four straight occasions.
Premier François Legault on Thursday said Dubé’s statistics are “an objective,” but it doesn’t mean that the province will make an “automatic” return to lockdowns if the target is missed. If restrictions do need to be put in place, they will be imposed on sub-regions, and not the entire province.
Of the latest 205 cases, 57 were identified in Montreal, 48 in Monteregie, 32 in Quebec City and 14 in Laval.
Throughout the pandemic, Quebec has been Canada’s worst hit province with a record-high 63,497 total cases. That includes 55,871 recovered patients (up by 61 since Saturday) and 5,769 fatalities, which leaves the province with 1,857 currently infected patients — the most of any province.
Since reopening schools on Aug. 27, the province has made national headlines. On Friday, Quebec health officials released a list of 46 schools that have had a case of COVID-19 among either students or staff members throughout the first week of reopening. However, Dubé said there have been no outbreaks, and instead in most instances the school has had an isolated case involving an individual who was infected outside of the school setting.
For example, on Wednesday, health officials announced that a karaoke bar outbreak in Quebec City resulted in 40 infected patrons, leading to secondary spread among three students in three different schools.
Updates from the rest of Canada
Ontario reported 158 new cases on Sunday, which marks the 11th straight day that the province has recorded over 100 cases of COVID-19. In early August, the province was able to stay under triple-digits on seven-straight occasions, as it made a habit of reporting fewer than 100 cases. Of the most recently identified patients, 49 are in Toronto, 44 in Peel, 21 in Ottawa and 16 in York. Twenty-nine of the 34 public health units reported five or fewer cases, while 20 reported no new cases at all. After going five straight days without a fatality, the province recorded two on Sunday, increasing the death toll to 2,813. There are now 1,390 active cases in the province (the most since July 30), since 111 more patients have recovered in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch.
Two more patients have recovered in Nova Scotia, which leaves three active cases in the province. One more case has also been resolved in New Brunswick, leaving three active cases within that jurisdiction as well. No new cases were reported in Newfoundland and Labrador or Prince Edward Island, as they have two and three active cases, respectively.
Twenty-nine new cases have been identified in Manitoba, scattered throughout the Winnipeg (17), Southern (seven), Prairie Mountain (three) and Interlake-Eastern (one) regions. Seven of the cases are close contacts of a previously identified case, while one is travel related. There is also one patient that is linked to an assisted living facility located next to the Donwood Manor personal care home. Donwood Manor has initiated outbreak protocols, even though the risk of further spread is considered low. Forty-six more people have also recovered, which drops Manitoba’s active case count to 409.
Saskatchewan health officials have identified eight new cases. The Saskatoon zone has three, the Central East zone has two, and the North West, Regina and South East zones all have one new patient each. No has recovered in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch, meaning there are now 48 active cases in the province.
Nunavut remains the only jurisdiction to not have had a confirmed positive case throughout the pandemic. The Northwest Territories have zero active cases, and so does Yukon after its two remaining cases were marked resolved on Aug. 13.
Alberta and British Columbia don’t provide case updates over the weekend, but as of Friday, those provinces have 1,433 and 1,233 active cases, respectively. Over the weekend, a high school in Calgary has notified parents of a case at its institution, after it opened for the 2020-21 school year on Tuesday.
Sept. 5
Ontario reports its largest spike in cases since July
Ontario health officials announced 169 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, which marks the largest spike in daily cases the province has recorded since July 24.
The latest patients, which were identified after labs completed 28,672 tests, are primarily located in Peel (46), Toronto (42), Ottawa (30), and York (19). Twenty-eight of Ontario’s 34 public health units reported five or fewer cases, while 19 reported no new patients at all.
Peel, Toronto and Ottawa all individually recorded more new cases on Saturday than Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the four Atlantic provinces combined (27).
The update comes a day after Peel recorded 72 cases, which caught Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s attention. The region consists of Caledon, Mississauga and Brampton, which has been its epicentre.
“I am really concerned about what is happening in Brampton,” said Ford on Friday. “Anyone who is thinking of having a big shindig this weekend: forget about it, cancel it, or we won’t hesitate to shut it down. … People of Brampton, you cannot be holding parties in your backyards, I can’t stress that enough.”
Over the course of the summer, Brampton has been in the spotlight for a few parties, particularly one that drew about 200 people in late-July. The premier said that even though outdoor gathering limits are capped at 100 in Ontario, people shouldn’t have more than 10 people in their backyards because it’s tough to maintain social distancing precautions.
The recent update is now the 10th straight day that the province has recorded over 100 cases of COVID-19. In early August, the province was able to stay under triple-digits on seven-straight occasions, as it made a habit of reporting fewer than 100 cases.
Of the province’s 1,345 active cases (the most since July 31), Peel leads the way with 390. Toronto has 374 currently infected patients, while Ottawa has 198, and York has 105. All the other 30 regions have fewer than 75.
On a positive note, Ontario did not record a new fatality for a fifth straight day, as its death toll remains at 2,811. One-hundred and six more patients have also recovered in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch.
Nearly 50 schools in Quebec have had COVID-19 cases since school reopening
Quebec health officials have released a list of 46 schools that have had a case of COVID-19 among either students or staff members throughout the first week of reopening.
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé described it as “very good news,” since health officials have not seen outbreaks, meaning there hasn’t been spread within the school setting. Instead, it’s mostly been a single case among a student or staff who had COVID-19 and came to one of the province’s 3,100 schools.
“We knew that we would have some cases when we were opening schools. It’s not surprising,” said Dubé on Friday in French. “We are capable of containing these bonfires. We just need to give the chance to health officials to work in these situations to limit the chance of an outbreak and to protect our children.”
Starting next week, the province will start to release daily data that shares information on the number of cases in schools around the province. Dubé said in a press release, which accompanied the initial list, that the Quebec government has “always made it a point of honour, since the start of the pandemic, to be transparent and to disclose relevant information.”
The province made it mandatory for students to attend in-person classes starting on Aug. 27, unless they have a medical exception. It’s a move that has drawn criticism from parents and teachers.
Throughout the first week, the province made headlines for multiple COVID-19 situations in schools. On Montreal’s South Shore, Collège Français sent home an entire class on the first day after the father of one of its students tested positive for the virus.
On its second day, more than 20 teachers from a high school in the Lower Laurentians had to self-isolate after two of them tested positive for COVID-19. It resulted in 500 students in Grade 10 and 11 having to go home because there was no one to teach them.
On Wednesday, a karaoke bar outbreak in Quebec City resulted in secondary spread among three students in three different schools.
This is the second time that Quebec has welcomed students back to classrooms since the start of the pandemic. Elementary schools around Quebec first reopened May 11 (with the exception of those in the Montreal area), which was a first in Canada. High schools, CEGEPs and post-secondary institutions around Quebec were instead forced to stay closed.
During its first reopening stint, which featured optional attendance, the province had 78 cases among students and staff within the first three weeks. In some cases, schools had to close for several days, while a school in Trois-Rivières almost had an entire classroom of about 12 students contract the virus.
Updates from the rest of the province
Quebec reported 175 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday. The province has now reported over 100 cases in eight straight reporting periods. Before the recent stretch, it had recorded fewer than 100 cases on 14 of its last 18 occasions. No has died in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch, but officials added two fatalities that occurred between Aug. 29-Sept. 3 to its death toll of 5,769. With 86 more people having recovered since Friday, it leaves 1,713 currently infected patients in the province.
Nova Scotia reported no new cases for the fifth straight day, while there remain five active cases in the province. There also remain four active cases in New Brunswick, and three in Prince Edward Island.
Newfoundland and Labrador reported its first case since Aug. 28. The latest patient involves a female, between 20-39 years old, who recently travelled from the United States. She has been in self-isolation since her return. There are now two active cases in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Health officials in Manitoba have identified 21 new cases of COVID-19, which includes 10 in Winnipeg, four each in the Southern Health and Prairie Mountain Health regions, and three in the Interlake-Eastern region. Eight of the cases are closed contacts of previously identified cases, and one is a health-care worker at the Concordia Place personal care home in Winnipeg. Seventeen more people have recovered in the province, which brings the active case count to 426.
Five new cases were identified Saskatchewan’s Saskatoon (three) and South Central (two) zones. One more patient has also recovered in the same stretch, which leaves 40 active cases in the province. On Saturday, Saskatchewan Health Authority released a list of locations where people may have been in contact with an infectious patient; the areas are scattered around Saskatoon, Coronach and Moose Jaw.
Sept. 4
British Columbia records its second highest increase in cases, most ever active cases
British Columbia health officials have identified 121 new cases of COVID-19, which marks its second highest increase to its total case count since the start of the pandemic.
On Aug. 28, a week ago today, the province recorded 124 cases.
The most recent update increases the province’s active case count to 1,233, which is the most it’s ever had throughout the pandemic. British Columbia has seen its active cases rise on an upward trajectory as of late, considering there were 319 active cases in the province on Aug. 4, and 162 on July 4.
Health officials did not hold a press conference on Friday to discuss the most recent spike, but over the past month they’ve attributed the rise to an increase in private gatherings, such as indoor parties that continue to be a problem, especially among young people who are indulging in alcohol.
“We still have it in our hands, in our actions to bend our curve back down,” said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Thursday. “And that is what we need to focus on now. We’re at that limit. We’re at that precipice, if you will, where we need to take the actions to ensure that we can move forward into the fall and keep our curve low.”
Exposures due to gatherings have been a key concern for B.C. ever since two hotel parties around Canada Day in Kelowna led to dozens of cases around the province, as well as possible exposure warnings for a variety of businesses.
Officials continue to ask B.C. residents to check the growing list of public exposure warnings as part of contact tracing efforts. Currently in B.C., there are 2,792 people who are self-isolating and are being actively monitored by public health, since they were in contact with a known COVID-19 patient.
“This weekend in particular, choose to go small. Choose to spend time with your household bubble instead of a group of strangers,” said Henry.
“Let’s make sure this Labour Day long weekend, we are united in a singular focus to continue to stop those chains of transmission and bring our curve back down. And of course, let’s continue to do this by being kind, being calm and being safe.”
Along with the most recent cases, officials said there has been one additional fatality, increasing the death toll to 211. There has also been one new assisted-living facility outbreak at KinVillage in the Fraser Health region. In total, 10 long-term care or assisted-living facilities and two acute-care facilities have active outbreaks.
‘I am really concerned’: Ontario records one of its largest case spikes since July, majority of new cases from Brampton, Peel
With Peel reporting 72 of Ontario’s 148 cases on Friday, Premier Doug Ford expressed concern over the situation as the region starts to see a surge in patients, primarily in Brampton.
Ford said he’s tried to get in touch with Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown about the situation, since the city represents three per cent of the province’s population, but represented 40 per cent of the recent cases.
“I am really concerned about what is happening in Brampton,” said Ford. “I gave the mayor three calls this morning. Patrick if you’re listening, I need to talk to you, find out what’s happening out there.”
Ontario health officials announced 148 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. It ties its increase on Aug. 29 for the largest spike the province has recorded since July 24.
Of the recently identified cases, 72 were in Peel, 41 in Toronto and 13 in Ottawa. All the other 31 public health units reported five or fewer cases, with 12 of them reporting no new cases at all.
The 72 cases by Peel are more than what Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the four Atlantic provinces combined to report (48) throughout Thursday and Friday.
“Anyone who is thinking of having a big shindig this weekend: forget about it, cancel it, or we won’t hesitate to shut it down. … People of Brampton, you cannot be holding parties in your backyards, I can’t stress that enough.”
The premier said that even though outdoor gathering limits are capped at 100 in Ontario, people shouldn’t have more than 10 people in their backyards because it’s tough to maintain social distancing precautions. Ford also warned of sharing substances.
“You shouldn’t be sharing anything. I don’t care if it’s those doobies, joints, or […] drinks— just don’t share. Simple.”
Over the course of the summer, Brampton has been in the spotlight for a few parties, particularly one that drew about 200 people in late-July.
On Friday, Peel District School Board (PDSB) also confirmed that they identified a case in a Brampton elementary school, Ross Drive Public School, involving a staff member who was in the building Aug. 27. One PDSB employee also recently tested positive at the board’s North Field Office, after being at the location Aug. 28. Both areas will remain open.
In the province’s latest 24-hour stretch, 116 more patients have recovered. However, throughout Ontario, there are 1,282 currently infected patients, the most since Aug. 2.
Of those patients, there are 66 in hospital, which includes 13 in intensive care and eight who require a ventilator.
For the fourth straight day, the province did not record a COVID-19-related fatality. Instead, officials removed one death, to bring the death toll down to 2,811.
Updates from the rest of Canada
Quebec reported 184 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. Aside from the 187 new cases the province recorded a day earlier, it marks the highest increase to its total case count since June 8. The province has now reported over 100 cases in seven straight reporting periods. Before the recent stretch, it had recorded fewer than 100 cases on 14 of its last 18 occasions. One more person has died in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch, but officials have also removed one fatality from its death toll of 5,767. With 109 more people having recovered since Thursday, it leaves 1,626 currently infected patients in the province.
No new cases were identified in Nova Scotia; instead one more person has recovered, meaning there are now five active cases in the province. Newfoundland and Labrador continues to have one currently infected patient, while New Brunswick has four.
Prince Edward Island has identified one new case, involving a male in his late teens who arrived to the province following international travel. He has self-isolated since his return on Aug. 29. The news come after P.E.I. recorded two cases on Thursday, which were its first new patients since Aug. 18. The three most recent patients are the province’s only active cases.
Manitoba reported nine new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, with six of them in Winnipeg, two in the Southern Health region and one in its epicentre, Prairie Mountain region. In that same stretch, 44 more people have recovered, dropping the province’s active case count to 422. According to a press release by health officials, the two cases in Southern Health are not related to the Bethesda Place personal care home in Steinbach, which recorded two fatalities among its residents on Thursday.
Saskatchewan health officials have identified four new cases in the same 24-hour stretch that four patients have recovered from the respiratory virus. The most recent cases were scattered throughout the North Central, Central West, South West and South Central zones. There remain 36 active cases in the province.
Alberta’s chief medical officer of health announced 164 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, but noted that one person has died in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch. Hinshaw confirmed that there’s a case at a school in Edmonton, but did not provide any additional info. Earlier in the day, the respective school board confirmed that the case is at École Sainte-Jeanne-d´Arc, but a spokesperson would not say if the case involves a student or adult, after schools opened up this week in Alberta. With the most recent update, there are 1,433 confirmed cases in the province, with 638 of them in the Calgary zone and 544 in the Edmonton zone.
Sept. 3
‘We’re approaching a possibly critical threshold’: Quebec reports its largest spike in cases since June
Quebec announced 187 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, which marks the largest daily increase to its total case count since June 8.
The province has now reported over 100 cases on six straight occasions. Before the recent stretch, it had not recorded fewer than 100 cases on 14 of its last 18 occasions.
“We’re approaching a possibly critical threshold,” said Quebec Premier François Legault on Thursday.
On Aug. 25, health minister Christian Dubé said that Quebec should not go beyond 160 cases per day, which works out to about 20 cases per one million residents.
Legault on Thursday said Dubé’s statistics are “an objective,” but it doesn’t mean that the province will make an “automatic” return to lockdowns if the target is missed. Instead, he reminded the public that “there are plenty of other factors to consider. … If the major part of the cases were in bars, the decision would be easy to take.”
Legault said that he is not planning on changing the province’s COVID-19 restrictions at the moment. If restrictions do need to be put in place, they will be imposed on sub-regions, and not the entire province.
As of late, Canada’s worst-hit province has seen spikes in the Quebec City region, the Eastern Townships and the greater Montreal region, said Legault.
Outbreaks have been reported throughout the province; that includes schools ever since they opened a week ago Thursday.
Most recently, a karaoke bar outbreak in Quebec City has led to 40 patrons testing positive, which has resulted in secondary spread to students at three schools. On Thursday, TVA Nouvelles also reported that two small groups of Montreal elementary school students are in self-isolation at home, because they were in contact with COVID-19 patients.
Legault said that the province’s back-to-school plan is going as planned. Outbreaks were expected, but the province has not had to close an entire school due to an outbreak, thanks to its “classroom bubble” concept.
On Thursday, a group of Quebec parents went to court to compel the Education Department to grant an online learning option for all families. At the moment, in-class learning is mandatory, except for those with a medical exception.
The province has yet to release statistics on the amount of cases in schools among staff and students, but the premier said that the public can expect some in the upcoming days.
“So far it’s under control, but we have to be careful,” said Legault.
In the past, Legault has said that he won’t rule out closing barrs or banning activities such as karaoke if the spread of COVID-19 continues at an alarming rate.
Throughout the pandemic, Quebec has had the most cases (62,933) and deaths (5,767) of all the Canadian jurisdictions. On Thursday, the province announced three more fatalities, but that they all occurred before Aug. 27.
Quebec also has the most currently infected patients with 1,551. According to data by B.C.’s Ministry of Health, Quebec has the highest infection rate per one million people of all the provinces.
B.C. at ‘precipice’ as modelling data shows ‘dramatic increase’ in cases among young populations
For the eighth time throughout the pandemic, B.C. health officials provided their latest data that they’ve gathered to understand how COVID-19 has been spreading in the province.
As of late, officials have seen a “dramatic increase” in cases among those between 20-39 years old, said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. Ever since mid-July, health officials have warned against large gatherings, especially where alcohol is involved; it has resulted in a spike in cases and COVID-19 exposure warnings throughout the province.
As of Thursday, the province has a record-high 1,175 active cases of COVID-19.
“We still have it in our hands, in our actions to bend our curve back down,” said Henry. “And that is what we need to focus on now. We’re at that limit. We’re at that precipice, if you will, where we need to take the actions to ensure that we can move forward into the fall and keep our curve low.”
Henry noted there has also been a small increase in cases among slightly older populations, but the median age of a COVID-19 patient in the province is now 41, compared to it being in the mid-50s in the earlier stages of the pandemic.
Household transmission continues to be relevant throughout all stages of the pandemic, but in the latest stage, officials have seen a significant increase in transmission at restaurants, bars and lounges as well as private parties and events. Those settings have been particularly associated with the younger demographics.
“This should come as no surprise,” said Henry. “We’ve been reporting on the Kelowna cluster, for example, which has been associated with a variety of these settings.”
Henry said that there has also been transmission in workplace settings. However, there hasn’t been many instances where COVID-19 has spread from the workplace to the public.
In comparison to other provinces, Henry showed that B.C. has done well, while its reproduction number has fluctuated around one; officials have seen it usually rise in tandem with well-known exposure events.
“This weekend in particular, choose to go small. Choose to spend time with your household bubble instead of a group of strangers,” Henry said.
“Let’s make sure this Labour Day long weekend, we are united in a singular focus to continue to stop those chains of transmission and bring our curve back down. And of course, let’s continue to do this by being kind, being calm and being safe.”
Exposures due to gatherings have been a key concern for B.C. ever since two hotel parties around Canada Day in Kelowna led to dozens of cases around the province, as well as possible exposure warnings for a variety of businesses.
Officials continue to ask B.C. residents to check the growing list of public exposure warnings as part of contact tracing efforts. Currently in B.C., there are 2,801 people who are self-isolating and are being actively monitored by public health, since they were in contact with a known COVID-19 patient.
On Thursday, officials announced 89 new cases of COVID-19. There are now 1,175 active cases, since 39 more people have recovered in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch.
One more person has also died in a long-term care home, increasing the death toll to 210.
Two new long-term care facility outbreaks have been declared at Cherington Place in the Fraser Health region and at Point Grey Private Hospital in the Vancouver Coastal Health region. However, the outbreak at the Maple Ridge Seniors Village has been declared over, which means there are now nine long-term care or assisted-living facilities and two acute-care facilities that have active outbreaks.
Updates from the rest of Canada
Two women in Manitoba, one in her 80s and the other in her 90s, are the province’s most recent COVID-19 victims. They were both part of the ongoing outbreak at the Bethesda Place personal care home in Steinbach. Four people have died as part of the outbreak, while the province’s death toll now stands at 16. Health officials believe that the initial positive case at the Bethesda Place was a health-care worker who caught the virus in the community. On Thursday, Manitoba also announced 20 new cases of the virus, with 13 of them in Winnipeg and six in its epicentre, Prairie Mountain Health region. Fifteen more people have also recovered, which leaves 457 active cases in the province.
Ontario reported 132 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. It’s the eighth straight day that the province has recorded over 100 cases of COVID-19. In early August, the province was able to stay under triple-digits on seven-straight occasions, as it made a habit of reporting fewer than 100 cases. Of the most recent patients, 45 were identified in Peel, 31 in Toronto and 22 in Ottawa. All the other 31 public health units reported five or fewer cases, while 18 reported no new patients at all. In the same stretch, Ontario recorded no new deaths, instead 119 more people have recovered. There are now 1,249 active cases in the province, the most since Aug. 3.
No new cases were identified in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, as those provinces continue to have one, four and six active cases, respectively.
Prince Edward Island is no longer COVID-19 free, with health officials announcing two new cases on Thursday. They both involve essential workers who are not part of the health-care industry. They’ve been in self-isolation since arriving to P.E.I. on Aug. 24. The province used to be the only one without any active cases, after all of its patients had recovered by Sept. 1. The last time it had announced a new case was on Aug. 18.
Ten new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Saskatchewan’s latest 24-hour stretch. The latest patients were diagnosed in the Saskatoon (six), Central West (two), North Central (one) and South Central (one) zones. According to a press release, “all of Saskatoon’s current active cases and several of the active cases in the rest of the province are directly related to out of province travel.” Three more people have also recovered in the province, meaning there are now 36 active cases in the province; 17 of those are in Saskatoon.
One-hundred and thirty people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Alberta, but no one has died in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch. There are now 1,415 active cases in the province, since 118 more people have also recovered. Of those currently infected patients, there are 639 in the Calgary zone and 537 in the Edmonton zone, which has 22 of the province’s 46 hospitalizations.
Sept. 2
Quebec City karaoke bar outbreak leads to secondary infections among students
A karaoke bar in Quebec City, which has produced 40 cases among attendees, has now resulted in secondary infections among school students.
There are three cases that have been identified among students across three of the six schools in the city that are currently dealing with COVID-19. Those three patients are linked to the 40 cases that have been identified among patrons who visited Bar Kirouac for a karaoke night on Aug. 23, said Dr. Jacques Girard, who heads the Quebec City public health authority.
Girard expects there to be more cases in the upcoming days, since some of the original 40 patrons visited at least six other bars in the city that same night. One of the patrons “did the grand tour” and “went everywhere,” said Girard.
There are also reports that some of the patients visited other bars while waiting for their COVID-19 tests, after they were asked to self-isolate over the weekend, when cases first emerged. Some of those patrons later tested positive, but there are currently no other links to bars as of Wednesday.
“We now have evidence that those people who were COVID-positive, who maybe hadn’t had the results of their tests but who were contagious, went to other places,” said Girard. “It’s there when our alarm signal went off.”
Girard is now asking anyone who’s been to a bar in Quebec City over this past week to get tested for COVID-19. Bar Kirouac has closed its venue till Sept. 9.
Christian Dubé, Quebec’s health minister, singled out Bar Kirouac on Tuesday, when noting that he was looking into fines for customers and staff after social media videos showed patrons in close contact and sharing microphones.
According to The Globe and Mail, who spoke with Bar Kirouac owner Lucien Simard, there were approximately 35-40 patrons and one staff member at the venue on Aug. 23. The establishment has a 100-person capacity.
“The rate of attack, the proportion of positives is significant,” said Dr. Girard, noting that the situation in the venue was an “explosive cocktail.”
The province previously dealt with outbreaks in relation to bars in July, which prompted health officials to insert new rules, such as not permitting dancing. However, karaoke and singing is still allowed, but Quebec’s director of public health Horacio Arruda said the province is now considering a karaoke bar.
Arruda and Girard have both described it as a dangerous activity, since “people get excited, swap microphones, start singing with their friends who want to help them out. Next thing, the droplets are in the air and you are contaminated.”
Schools around the province have also been dealing with cases of COVID-19 ever since the province reopened institutions Aug. 27. No official provincial data has been released as of Wednesday as to how many cases there are among children and staff.
As a preventative measure, school administrators in Quebec City have sent home at least 100 classmates of infected children, according to The Globe and Mail.
Updates from the rest of Canada
British Columbia health officials announced 104 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. It’s now the sixth time since Aug. 15 that the province has recorded at least 100 daily cases; before the recent stretch, it had never recorded a triple-digit increase. The recent update increases the province’s active case count to a record-high 1,127, even though 100 more patients have recovered since Tuesday. According to a press release by health officials, there is one new health-care facility outbreak at Surrey Memorial Hospital, but the outbreak at Langley Memorial Hospital has been declared over.
Ontario reported 133 new cases of COVID-19, which is its second highest increase to its total case count since July 31. Of those patients, 43 were identified in Toronto, 34 in Peel, 15 in York Region and 12 in Ottawa. Twenty-nine of the province’s 34 public health units reported five or fewer cases, while 21 of them reported no new patients at all. No one has died in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch, but instead 137 patients have recovered. There are now 1,236 active cases in the province.
Health officials in Quebec announced that they’ve identified 132 new cases of COVID-19. Two more fatalities have been added to the province’s death toll of 5,764, but neither of them occurred in the province’s latest 24-hour stretch. With 77 recently recovered patients, it means there are now 1,467 active cases in the province.
No new cases were identified in Nova Scotia or Newfoundland and Labrador, as those provinces have one and six active cases, respectively. New Brunswick has identified one new patient, involving a temporary foreign worker in the Moncton region. There are now four active cases in the province. Prince Edward Island remains the only province with no active cases, after health officials announced that their final patient recovered by Tuesday.
Twelve new cases were identified in Manitoba, with eight of them in its epicentre Prairie Mountain Health. There are now 454 active cases in the province, since twenty more people have recovered; it marks the second straight day that Manitoba has seen its number of currently infected patients decrease.
Saskatchewan health officials announced two new cases, with one each in the North West and South Central zones. However, four more people have recovered in the same 24-hour stretch. There are now 29 active cases in the province, the fewest since June 14.
A woman in her 60s in Alberta’s South zone has passed away, increasing the province’s death toll to 242. Health officials have also identified 114 new cases of COVID-19. One-hundred and eight patients have also recovered, meaning there are now 1,403 active cases in the province. Of those currently infected patients, 632 of them are in the Calgary zone and 538 in the Edmonton zone.
Sept. 1
Ontario reported 112 newly-identified cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hour reporting period on Tuesday. It also reported one death and 92 recoveries, increasing the number of active cases in the province to 1,240. Of Ontario’s 34 public health units, 27 reported five or fewer new cases, while 18 of those reported no new cases at all.
In Quebec, there were 122 new cases of the virus reported, as well as two deaths linked to COVID-19. Both deaths occurred between August 25-30. Hospitalizations fell by two, however the number of people in intensive care went up by two.
Across Atlantic Canada, only Nova Scotia saw one new case of COVID-19. The province also said that one of the active cases, a student at Université Sainte-Anne in Church Point, N.S., did not properly self-isolate, and authorities are now trying to determine who may have come in contact with her. There were no new cases reported in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island.
Stricter mask rules are being put in place after a recent spike in cases in Manitoba. Health authorities reported 18 new cases of COVID-19 in the province, as well as several recoveries, brining the total number of active cases to 459.
Alberta announced 164 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province, bringing its active cases tally to the second-highest nationally —1,398 — just trailing Quebec’s 1,414. Two more patients died, a man in his 80s and a woman in her 90s who was a resident of a continuing care centre with an active outbreak.
British Columbia reported 58 new cases in the province and one death. B.C. currently has 1,124 active cases: 31 are in hospital, including 10 in intensive care. In a statement, Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix wrote: “We must prepare for the challenges that may lie ahead in fall with renewed commitment, new routines and proven safety precautions.”
