The number of COVID-19 cases in Canada grew by 2,215 on Saturday, and officials announced an additional 25 people had succumbed to the illness.
The new figures released on Saturday bring the cumulative case total to 196,114, though more than 165,000 people across the country have recovered from the coronavirus.
In total, 9,746 deaths have been associated with COVID-19 in Canada.
The numbers released Saturday do not include updates from British Columbia, Alberta, P.E.I. or the territories.
Though some provinces have been much harder hit than others, the number of new cases overall has been surging since late August. Daily case counts are now higher than they were in the spring.
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said that as of Friday, about 2,310 cases were reported daily across Canada over the last week.
She called on Canadians to adhere to public health guidance and keep their number of contacts as low as possible — and especially avoid crowded or closed settings.
“Keeping apart is difficult, but it is what will make us stronger, more resilient and better able to sustain public health efforts through the fall and winter,” she said in a statement Saturday.
Quebec reported 1,279 new COVID-19 cases today along with 15 more deaths linked to the novel coronavirus. One death previously attributed to the virus was found to have been due to other causes.
Health officials say the total number of infections in the province stands at 92,297, and 6,032 people have died.
In Ontario, another 805 cases were announced, bringing the cumulative total to 63,713. More than half of the new cases were diagnosed in Toronto and surrounding area. The province also announced that 10 more people have died due to COVID-19.
Manitoba public health officials identified 85 new cases of COVID-19, most of which occurred in the Winnipeg health region. In total, 3,256 cases have been diagnosed in the province.
In response to a sharp rise in cases, Winnipeg is facing stricter restrictions for at least two weeks starting Monday.
The active case count in Saskatchewan reached a record high of 326 on Saturday, when the province reported 36 new cases. Saskatchewan’s total case count stands at 2,306.
READ MORE: Saskatchewan will shut down parts of economy should daily COVID-19 cases continue to rise
The number of active COVID-19 cases in New Brunswick hit 100 on Saturday, with the addition of eight newly diagnosed infections.
Nova Scotia announced two new cases, bringing its active case total to five, while Newfoundland and Labrador did not report any new diagnoses Saturday.
Around the world, 39.5 million people have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and 1.1. million deaths associated with the virus have been recorded, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.
With files from Amber McGuckin, Mickey Djuric and The Canadian Press
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