Canada added 6,491 new cases of COVID-19 and 83 deaths on Thursday as a clearer picture of a vaccine emerged.
The country now has 395,927 cases total and 12,407 deaths.
The final step before the Pfizer vaccine can be approved is expected to be completed on Friday, according to officials, who expect a “favourable” decision.
Pfizer’s vaccine was approved for use in the U.K. on Wednesday and has been found to be 95 per cent effective.
The initial supplies of vaccines will be enough for three million people, but officials assured there will eventually be enough for “every Canadian.”
In Ontario, 1,824 coronavirus cases were reported Thursday, a jump in cases due to a data error from one local public health unit. The province now has seen 121,746 cases total and currently has 666 people in hospital.
The province also announced 14 more deaths to bring its total to 3,712.
Quebec, meanwhile, prohibited Christmas gatherings on Thursday as the province added 1,470 new cases to bring its total to 146,532. The province also added 30 additional deaths, though only 12 of them occurred in the last 24 hours. The province has seen 7,155 deaths total.
Hospitalizations also topped 700 in the province, a high not seen since June.
“If we continue in this direction, hospitals will start to overflow,” Premier Francois Legault said.
Out west, British Columbia reported 12 deaths Thursday and 694 new cases, giving the province 481 deaths total and over 9,000 active cases. It is the 10th straight day deaths have been in the double digits.
Alberta broke a new case record Thursday with 1,854 new cases to give it 17,743 active cases total, with 511 people currently in hospital and 97 in ICU.
The province also announced 14 new deaths.
Saskatchewan reported one new death Thursday to give it 54 total and 259 new cases to bring its total to 4,017 active cases, with 128 currently in hospital.
Manitoba reported 12 more deaths and 368 new cases, with 9,130 active cases and 357 currently in hospital. Its death toll now stands at 353.
The province continues to have a high rate of positive test results — 13 per cent on average over the last five days.
Out east, New Brunswick announced six new cases to give it 111 active cases currently.
PEI reported one new case to give it five active cases, while Nova Scotia reported 11 new cases Thursday to bring its active cases to 119.
Nunavut reported five new cases in its Arviat community, bringing the territory’s total active cases to 75, and the Yukon reported one new case.
No new cases were reported in Newfoundland and Labrador or the Northwest Territories.
There have been over 65 million cases worldwide, with over 200,000 added on Thursday, and over 1.5 million deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
-With files from Global News staff, The Canadian Press
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