Canada’s number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has now surpassed 25,000, including 780 deaths, according to provincial figures released across the country Monday.
The new figures come amid 1,296 new cases of the virus announced on April 13, bringing the country’s total to 25,663.
A total of 63 coronavirus-related deaths were also announced on Monday.
Of Canada’s confirmed cases, 7,734 have recovered and at least 438,130 tests have been conducted, according to provincial health jurisdictions.
The provinces that saw the highest rise in infections on Monday were Ontario, which reported 421, and Quebec, which reported 711.
Quebec, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in Canada, has now reported a total of 13,557 COVID-19 infections — accounting for more than half of the country’s cases.
On Monday, Premier François Legault identified the province’s long-term care homes, which have seen the majority of their COVID-19-related deaths, as a priority in fighting the outbreak.
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Legault’s announcement comes amid reports of an outbreak and “gross negligence” at a private long-term care facility in Dorval that has since resulted in 31 deaths.
Seniors and those with underlying health conditions are especially at risk of death from the virus.
Health officials across Canada, including chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam, warned of a “significant proportion” of the country’s deaths stemming from long-term care homes — a number of which have since seen mass outbreaks in across the country.
During a press conference on Monday, Tam said that nearly half of all of Canada’s coronavirus deaths were happening in long-term care homes, and that the number is expected to increase.
“We know that close to half of the deaths that we’re tracking are linked to long-term care facilities, but that ratio is actually different in different provinces,” said Tam during the daily COVID-19 ministers meeting.
“These deaths will continue to increase, even as the epidemic growth rate slows down.”
Provinces have recently begun to announce new measures — including millions in funding for residential and nursing homes — in order to control the spread of the virus in already-infected facilities, as well as to prevent new outbreaks.
Those announcements follow several updates from other provinces as well.
Alberta reported two additional deaths from the virus on Monday, including an additional 81 newly confirmed cases.
On Saturday, Premier Jason Kenney said he was sending additional personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies, like N95 masks, to the country’s largely affected areas — Quebec, Ontario and B.C.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer, also announced Monday that the province was expanding testing to any Albertan with COVID-19 symptoms.
Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said Monday the province was expanding testing to any Albertan who has COVID-19 symptoms.
British Columbia also reported 11 new deaths from the disease on April 13, bringing their death toll to 69.
The province’s chief medical officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, told reporters on Monday that a majority of the newly announced deaths were linked to outbreaks in long-term care homes.
— With files from Global News reporters Olivia Bowden, Annabelle Olivier, Emerald Bensadoun and Simon Little.
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