Health officials in Canada reported 608 new novel coronavirus infections on Tuesday, pushing the country’s total case count to 133,651.
Provincial health authorities also reported seven new deaths linked to COVID-19.
The new infections and fatalities come as students and teachers across the country headed back to the classroom for the new school year.
In Ontario, 190 new cases of the respiratory illness were reported on Labour Day Monday, and another 185 cases were detected on Tuesday, marking almost 400 new infections over the last two days.
The new infections bring the province’s total case load to 43,536.
However, health officials said no new deaths have occurred since Saturday.
So far, 3,171,062 people have been tested for the virus in Ontario, and 39,196 have recovered from infections.
In Quebec — the province hit hardest by the pandemic — 163 new cases of the virus were reported, but health officials said the death toll remained at 5,770.
Since the pandemic began, 1,783,255 tests have been administered in Quebec, and 56,162 people have recovered after falling ill.
In Manitoba 11 new cases of COVID-19 were reported, but health authorities said no one else had died.
The new infections bring Manitoba’s case count to 1,349.
So far, 148,537 people have been tested for the virus, and 940 have recovered after becoming ill.
Saskatchewan saw seven new infections, but the province’s death toll remained at 24, health officials said.
More than 151,700 people in Saskatchewan have been tested for the virus and 1,587 have recovered from infections.
Prince Edward Island saw two new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the province’s total case load to 53. No new deaths were reported.
Thus far, 28,492 people have been tested for the virus in PEI. Forty-four people have recovered.
No new cases of the virus were reported in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick or Newfoundland, and health authorities in each province said no new deaths had occurred.
In Nova Scotia, 81,768 tests have been administered and 1,018 people have recovered from the virus.
New Brunswick has seen 192 cases of COVID-19, 188 of which are considered to be resolved.
More than 64,400 tests for the virus have been conducted in New Brunswick.
Newfoundland has tested 33,666 people, and 265 cases in the province have been resolved.
In Alberta, 157 new cases of COVID-19 were reported and health officials said another five people had died over the Labour Day long weekend.
Health authorities have conducted 1,052,446 tests for the virus since the pandemic began, and 13,154 people have recovered after falling ill.
British Columbia health authorities reported 83 new infections, bringing the province’s total case count to 6,494.
What’s more, provincial health officials said another two people have died after testing positive for COVID-19.
The fatalities bring the provincial death toll to 213.
None of Canada’s territories reported new cases of the virus on Tuesday.
In the Northwest Territories, 4,085 tests for the virus has been administered and all five of the territory’s confirmed cases are considered to be resolved.
The Yukon has not seen a new case of the virus since Aug. 7, and all 15 people infected with COVID-19 in the the territory have recovered.
Nunavut has not yet confirmed a case of COVID-19.
New cases ‘concerning’
During a press conference on Tuesday, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, said the recent increase in daily case counts is “concerning.”
“I want to underscore that when cases occur, including in schools, it is a reflection on what’s happening in the community,” she said. “So the key to keeping COVID-19 at a manageable level is for each and every one of us to keep up effective public health practices at home, at work and in the public spaces we frequent.”
Global cases approach 28 million
Since the virus was first detected in Wuhan, China in December of last year, it has infected 27,453,109 people globally, according to tally from John’s Hopkins University.
The virus has claimed a total of 894,796 lives around the world.
The United States remained the epicentre of the virus on Tuesday with more than 6.3 million confirmed cases.
More than 189,500 have died in the U.S.