Canada added 79 more novel coronavirus deaths on Thursday, as well another 4,634 cases of COVID-19.
The new data, reported by health authorities across the country, now brings Canada’s total cases of the virus to 315,449 and its death toll to 11,265.
More than 252,000 patients have since recovered from the virus, however, while another 13.2 million tests have been administered.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday warned Canadians that the country still faced “many more” months of COVID-19 restrictions, despite this week’s vaccine developments from both Pfizer and Moderna.
New federal modelling expected to be presented Friday morning also projects a huge increase in new cases of the next few weeks, according to the Canadian Press. Sources that have been briefed on the modelling tell the press that Canada could see as many as 60,000 cases a day if people don’t start restricting their contact with others outside of their household.
B.C. announced new sweeping measures aimed at suppressing its second wave of the virus on Thursday, with officials mandating all British Columbians to wear masks indoors in all public places as well as businesses.
The new restrictions come amid another 529 COVID-19 cases reported Thursday, the smallest daily increase in new cases by the province since Nov. 11.
B.C. now has a total of 24,658 cases of the novel coronavirus in the province, of which 302 are considered “epi-linked” — cases that display symptoms and are close contacts of confirmed cases, but have never been formally tested. A total of nine cases in the province’s Thursday total are considered “epi-linked.”
To date, B.C. has registered 24,960 cases of the novel coronavirus. One new death was also reported by the province Thursday, with its death toll now standing at 321.
Alberta recorded its highest ever 24-hour increase in new cases Thursday, after health authorities announced 1,105 cases of the virus. The new infections now brings the province’s total COVID-19 cases to 42,797.
Another eight deaths were also reported Thursday, which pushed the province’s death toll to 451.
Ontario added 1,210 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, pushing provincial infections to 99,372. Another 28 deaths were also reported by health authorities, with the death toll now standing at 3,443.
Quebec also reported over 1,200 new cases of the virus Thursday, with its provincial total standing at 128,440.
The province also added 33 more deaths Thursday, of which seven occurred in the past 24 hours. The province’s death toll, which is the highest in Canada, now stands at 6,744.
Manitoba announced another 475 cases of the virus Thursday, as well as nine more deaths. The province’s cases now stand at 12,482, of which an unknown number are considered probable — cases that haven’t yet been confirmed but were previously added as part of the province’s total COVID-19 cases.
Manitoba’s death toll from the virus now floats just under the 200-mark, with 198 have succumbed to the virus.
Saskatchewan added 98 new cases on Thursday, bringing the provincial total to 5,651. The province’s death toll stands at 32.
Several provinces in Atlantic Canada also reported new virus cases Thursday, with New Brunswick adding four cases, and Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador both adding one additional case.
Nunavut reported four more cases on Thursday as well, with its infection total now standing at 74.
Cases worldwide 54,250,000 on Thursday as well, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. To date, over 1.31 million people have died from the virus.