Shortly after unveiling her annual report on Wednesday, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said the virus had “shone a real spotlight on equalities in health and systemic gaps resulting in inequities,” and called for structural reforms to the country’s pandemic response.
The report, entitled “From Risk to Resilience: An Equity Approach to COVID-19,” found several inequities among seniors, women, minorities and essential workers.
“These findings are more than just uncomfortable facts about our country during this pandemic,” Tam said.
“They’re the lived realities of countless Canadians.”
Health authorities in British Columbia detected 283 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the provincial tally to 13,638. However, no more people died, meaning the death toll remained at 259.
More than 806,900 tests for the virus have been conducted throughout the province while 11,244 people have recovered after falling ill.
Albertan health authorities reported 410 more cases of the virus but said no more people had died. More than 1,764,000 tests have been administered for COVID-19 while 21,459 of the province’s cases are considered resolved. Three hundred and nine people have died.
Sixty-seven people in Saskatchewan tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday for a total of 2,908. So far, 25 people in the province have died from the virus while 2,217 people have recovered after falling ill. To date, 256,082 tests have been conducted across Saskatchewan for COVID-19.
Manitoba saw 169 new cases of the virus, 2,306 of which are considered resolved. The provincial death toll stands at 58 and 248,077 tests have been administered. The province has seen 4,701 confirmed cases so far.
Ontario recorded 834 new COVID-19 cases and five new deaths. The province has reported 72,885 overall cases of the virus so far, and 3,108 people have died. More than 4.9 million tests have been conducted while 62,303 people have recovered after falling ill.
In Quebec — Canada’s viral epicentre — health officials reported 929 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial tally to 102,814 and said 17 more people had died. So far, 6,189 people have died from the virus in Quebec, while 87,638 have recovered. More than three million people have been tested for the virus.
New Brunswick reported three more cases of the virus on Wednesday, 284 of which have since been resolved. To date, six people in the province have died from the virus and health officials have conducted 100,509 tests.
No new cases or deaths were detected in Nova Scotia. Since the pandemic began, officials have recorded 1,102 cases of the virus, 65 deaths and 1,032 recoveries. Health authorities have administered 111,181 COVID-19 tests.
Newfoundland and Labrador also saw no new infections or deaths on Wednesday. Of the province’s 291 confirmed cases, 283 have recovered while four people have died. To date, 51,529 tests have been conducted for the virus.
Prince Edward Island did not release any new coronavirus data on Wednesday, however, numbers reported on Tuesday said 63 of the province’s 64 cases were considered to be resolved.
Neither the Yukon nor Canada’s Northwest Territories reported new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.
The Yukon has seen a total of 22 confirmed infections, 17 of which have recovered and administered 4,004 tests. All but one of the Northwest Territories’ confirmed COVID-19 cases have recovered, and officials have conducted 6,355 tests.
Nunavut has yet to diagnose its first case, but has administered 3,501 tests for the virus.
— With files from Global News’ Hanah Jackson
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