The death toll in Canada from the novel coronavirus climbed above 2,000 on Thursday after numerous new infections and fatalities were recorded in Ontario and Quebec.
As of April 23, the total number of confirmed deaths in Canada stands at 2,141, according to data released by provincial health authorities and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The country-wide number of infections surpassed 40,000 one day earlier.
Some provinces have yet to release their numbers for April 23, so the tally is likely to rise.
The new milestone can, in part, be attributed to a surge of cases in Ontario and Quebec.
Quebec — which still considered the hotbed of the outbreak in Canada — has a total of 21,838 infections and 1,243 deaths. Of the deaths, 109 were recorded on Thursday.
Ontario, which has been particularly hard hit by the outbreak, reported 634 new cases on Thursday, marking a new milestone in daily reported cases in the province. A total of 54 deaths were also recorded. The new tallies bring the total number of cases in the province to 12,879, with 713 deaths.
Despite this, recent modelling out of Ontario suggests the province may have already hit the peak of the virus’s first wave, with the number of infections dramatically lower than previously projected.
Federal modelling released earlier in April has suggested the first wave of the virus could subside in the summer, but public health officials have warned against pulling back on measures put in place to help stop the spread of the virus too soon.
Some provinces, including Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, which have considerably lower case counts than that of Ontario or Quebec, are looking at loosening some of those measures.
Meanwhile, the federal government announced further measures aimed at mobilizing scientists and researchers to develop testing, treatments, and, ultimately, a vaccine.
The $1.1 billion in funding from Ottawa will go toward a national medical and research strategy. Of that, $350 million will help expand national testing and modelling to prevent the spread of COVID-19. An approximate $662 million has been earmarked for clinical trials to test vaccines and treatments as they are created.
The funding is on top of an already committed $275 million announced in March for similar research efforts.
— With files from Global News’ Hannah Jackson and the Canadian Press
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