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HEALTH-VIRUS-CANADA
Canada surpasses 1 mn Covid-19 cases
TORONTO, Canada, April 4, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Canada on Saturday crossed the
threshold of one million coronavirus cases as the country faces a third wave
of infections, forcing several provinces to tighten restrictions in recent
days.
With 2,000 new cases of Covid-19 announced in British Columbia on Saturday
evening, Canada topped one million cases since the start of the pandemic,
according to figures reported by Canadian broadcasters.
Just over 23,000 people have died.
Canada is grappling with a third wave of cases amid the rapid spread of
variants, which are more contagious.
The two most populous provinces, Ontario and Quebec, headed into the Easter
weekend tightening public health measures.
Ontario, home to more than a third of Canada’s cases, stepped up
restrictions for at least four weeks.
Non-essential businesses are held to 25 percent capacity, while others can
accommodate 50 percent capacity.
Sports venues and hair salons are closed, though schools remain open and
residents have not been ordered to stay home.
The second worst-hit province, Quebec, strengthened restrictions in several
regions while maintaining a nighttime curfew imposed in early January that is
unprecedented in Canada.
Meanwhile, vaccinations have been slow to get off the ground.
An inoculation program launched in December has been plagued by delays in
deliveries of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna doses from Europe. In addition, new
age restrictions were imposed on the AstraZeneca jab, over safety concerns.
To date, 14.6 percent of the population has received at least one vaccine
dose, according to the Covid-19 Tracker Canada website.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0830 hrs