COVID-19 continues rapid spread in Canada

The rapid spread of COVID-19 in Canada brought the total number of cases to 314,111, including 11,256 deaths, as of Thursday afternoon, according to CTV.

The country’s national-level data indicate daily averages of 4,788 new cases over the past seven days, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada on Thursday.

The rapid spread has put public health agencies under pressure to save lives.

Ontario reported 1,210 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. This is the 14th straight day in the province which has reported case counts in the quadruple digits.

Ontario now has 150 patients receiving treatment for COVID-19 in its intensive care units, marking the meeting of a key threshold that will make it more difficult for hospitals to provide other care and perform scheduled surgeries.

Quebec confirmed 1,207 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases to 128,440. The province’s seven-day rolling average currently stands at 1,220 new cases per day.

Manitoba announced 475 new cases and eight more deaths on Thursday, with a significant five-day test positivity rate at 14 percent in the province.

Manitoba, dealing with the highest per capita daily COVID-19 case numbers among Canadian provinces, is enacting new orders effective Friday to limit the COVID-19 spread.

It will forbid people from having anyone inside their home who doesn’t live there, with limited exceptions, and prohibit businesses from selling non-essential items in stores. In addition, large retailers are to restrict capacity at a given time to 25 percent of their normal limit or a maximum of 250 people, whichever is lower.

Nunavut has entered a two-week lockdown in an effort to get a handle on its first serious outbreak which stands at 74 cases on Thursday.