Virus cases reach new one-day highs in four provinces

Four provinces reported new highs for daily COVID-19 infections on Saturday as the virus continued its siege on some of the country’s most vulnerable areas.

Ontario reported 1,588 new instances of the virus in the past 24 hours along with 21 new deaths linked to COVID-19.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says there are 522 new cases in Peel Region, 450 in Toronto and 153 in York Region, with nearly 46,700 tests completed. The province is also reporting that 513 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, with 87 on ventilators.

The latest figures bring the total of COVID-19 cases in Ontario to 102,378, with 3,472 deaths and 86,079 cases resolved.

Health officials in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Alberta also reported new single-day peaks in diagnoses, as the country’s top doctor sounded the alarm yet again.

“More and larger outbreaks are occurring in long-term-care homes, congregate living settings and hospitals, and spreading in Indigenous communities,” Dr. Theresa Tam said in a written statement. “These developments are deeply concerning as they put countless Canadians at risk of life-threatening illness, cause serious disruptions to health services and present significant challenges for areas not adequately equipped to manage complex medical emergencies.”

Among those areas is the fly-in community of Fond du Lac First Nation in northern Saskatchewan, which was reporting 61 active COVID-19 cases as of Friday. About 1,000 people call the remote community home, and a full 300 of them have been told to self-isolate.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe called the record 439 new cases in his province “very concerning,” adding the seven-day average for new daily cases is the highest it’s ever been at 203.

Nunavut is also recording a surge in new COVID-19 cases, though it hasn’t beat its singleday high. The territory saw 25 new cases on Saturday, including 22 in hard-hit Arviat and three in Whale Cove.

There are 107 active infections in the territory, which just confirmed its first case a little more than two weeks ago.

Tam reported 52,739 active infections across the country, with an average of 71 deaths and 1,840 people treated in hospital every day between Nov. 13 and Nov. 19.