Deaths due to the novel coronavirus in Canada totalled 5,472 as of Thursday, while the global death toll climbed past 300,000.
Canada has 73,389 cases of COVID-19 so far, the majority of them — more than 40,000 — in Quebec alone. The city of Montreal remains the epicentre of the province’s outbreak, with close to 21,000 cases — almost as many as the entire province of Ontario.
Nationwide, more than 36,000 people have recovered and more than 1.2 million COVID-19 tests have been conducted.
Quebec has been the hardest hit province in Canada so far, with 3,351 deaths and 40,724 cases. The province had the highest daily increase of cases out of any region in Canada on Thursday, reporting 793 cases and 131 deaths.
Schools in the Montreal area will remain closed till September, while other parts of Quebec have recently begun reopening. Almost 11,000 people in the province are considered recovered.
Ontario saw its lowest increase in new cases since March, reporting 258 cases and 33 new deaths, bringing its provincial total to 21,494 cases and 1,798 deaths.
The province outlined the first stage of its Phase 2 (Restart) plan, which begins Tuesday and could last from anywhere between two and four weeks. More than 16,000 people in the province are deemed recovered.
Alberta reported 50 new cases and one new death, for a total of 6,457 cases and 121 deaths since the pandemic began.
The province also announced Phase 1 of its plan to relaunch the economy, using a regional approach that recognizes that a majority of cases in Alberta are in two cities: Calgary and Brooks. More than 5,200 people have recovered from COVID-19 in Alberta.
British Columbia saw three new deaths and 15 new cases on Thursday, for a total of 135 deaths and 2,391 cases so far.
The province’s medical officer of health Dr. Bonnie Henry noted that almost 79 per cent of the positive cases have recovered, adding a plea for B.C. residents to stay home over the Victoria Day long weekend.
Saskatchewan reported five new cases and no new deaths, leaving its total at 582 cases.
Six people have died so far during the pandemic, with close to 400 recoveries. The province announced expanded testing for COVID-19 on Thursday, with details to come May 18.
Nova Scotia was the only Atlantic province to report new cases — it saw two new cases on Thursday, bringing its total to 1,026 cases with 51 deaths. More than 900 people have recovered.
No new cases reported
Manitoba saw no new cases for the second day in a row. The province has seen seven deaths overall and 278 cases so far, with 251 recoveries. This week saw Manitoba open up testing to anyone with symptoms without requiring an initial call to public health.
New Brunswick only has two active cases, as 118 of its 120 cases have recovered. The province extended its state of emergency on Thursday, for another two weeks.
Newfoundland and Labrador has 10 active cases out of a total of 261, with 248 recoveries. Three people have died so far. The province has recently allowed double bubbles, meaning one household can spend time with one other household (and no more).
All cases resolved so far
Prince Edward Island had no new information to report Thursday, with all 27 cases remaining resolved. Nunavut is the only region in Canada that has not had a positive case of COVID-19 so far, after one false alarm.
All cases in the Northwest Territories and Yukon are also resolved.
Worldwide death toll
More than 300,000 people around the world have died from the virus so far, with nearly a third of those deaths (more than 85,000) in the U.S.
There have been more than 4.4 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide, according to data tracked by Johns Hopkins University.