Statement from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada on February 10, 2021

On February 10, 2021, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, issued the following statement on COVID-19.

February 10, 2021 | Ottawa, ON | Public Health Agency of Canada

As COVID-19 activity continues in Canada, we are tracking a range of epidemiological indicators to monitor where the disease is most active, where it is spreading and how it is impacting the health of Canadians and public health, laboratory and healthcare capacity. The following is the latest summary on national numbers and trends, and the actions we all need to be taking to maintain COVID-19 at manageable levels across the country.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 810,797 cases of COVID-19, including 20,909 deaths reported in Canada; these cumulative numbers tell us about the overall burden of COVID-19 illness to date. Though many areas continue to experience high infection rates, it is important to remember that the vast majority of Canadians remain susceptible to COVID-19. As well, the emergence and spread of certain SARS-CoV-2 virus variants is an additional cause for concern. Over the past week (Jan 31-Feb 6), there were on average over 103,000 tests completed daily across Canada, of which 3.7% were positive for COVID-19. Since that time, the total number of virus variants of concern detected has more than doubled. Eight provinces are now reporting certain variant detections, including over 365 B.1.1.7 variants (first found in the United Kingdom), 28 B.1.351 variants (first found in South Africa), and the first detection of a single P.1 variant (first found in Brazil) was reported by Ontario. Although it is normal for variants to emerge as viruses continuously evolve, these are considered "variants of concern" because they are known to spread more easily. There is also a possibility of reduced protection of current vaccines. This is why we need to maintain the strictest vigilance in our public health measures and individual practices. This will help to prevent these variants from reaccelerating the epidemic and making it much more difficult to control.

From routine national surveillance data, we are observing a steady decline in COVID-19 activity. Currently, there are 39,179 active cases across the country. The latest national-level data show a continued downward trend in daily case counts, with a 7-day average of 3,483 new cases daily (Feb 3-9). Likewise, following the decrease in COVID-19 activity, severe outcomes continue to decline as expected for these lagging indicators. Provincial and territorial data indicate that an average of 3,193 people with COVID-19 were being treated in Canadian hospitals each day during the most recent 7-day period (Feb 3-9), including 715 of whom were being treated in intensive care units. During the same period, there were an average of 99 COVID-19-related deaths reported daily.

While these surveillance data and modelling forecasts suggest that community-based measures are having an effect and that our collective effort is continuing to make a difference, it is crucial that strong measures are kept in place in order to maintain a steady downward trend. With still elevated daily case counts, the risk remains that trends could reverse quickly, particularly in areas of the country where new variants of concern have emerged or where increased, unchanged or only modest declines in COVID-19 disease activity are being reported. Likewise, outbreaks in high-risk populations and communities, including hospitals and long term care homes, correctional facilities, congregate living settings, Indigenous communities, and more remote areas of the country remain a concern. These factors underscore the importance of sustaining public health measures and individual practices and not easing restrictions too fast or too soon.

A range of public health measures and restrictions are already in place across Canada as we continue our collective effort to interrupt the spread of the virus, including limiting the spread of more transmissible variants, while vaccine programs continue to expand. Canadians are urged to remain vigilant and to continue following local public health advice as well as consistently maintaining individual practices that keep us and our families safer: stay home/self-isolate if you have any symptoms, think about the risks and reduce non-essential activities and outings to a minimum, avoid all non-essential travel, and maintain individual protective practices of physical distancing, hand, cough and surface hygiene and wearing a well-fitted and properly worn face mask as appropriate (including in shared spaces with people from outside your immediate household indoors and also outdoors where physical distancing is difficult to maintain).

Canadians can also go the extra mile by sharing credible information on COVID-19 risks and prevention practices and measures to reduce COVID-19 in communities and by downloading the COVID Alert app to break the cycle of infection and help limit the spread of COVID-19. Read my backgrounder to access more COVID-19 Information and Resources on ways to reduce the risks and protect yourself and others, including information on COVID-19 vaccination.

Contacts

Media Relations
Public Health Agency of Canada
613-957-2983
hc.media.sc@canada.ca