Canada nears 1 million COVID tests

Numbers fall short of Tam’s recommendation

Canada is on track to complete its millionth test for COVID-19 sometime in the next 24 hours but is still falling far short of the number of daily tests the country’s chief public health officer said last month should soon be possible.

Dr. Theresa Tam said Wednesday that the pandemic continues to slow right across Canada, with some worrisome hot spots remaining in long-term care homes and in the remote northern region around La Loche, Sask. La Loche, a Dene community 600 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon, has dozens of cases, including 22 new positive tests Wednesday.

Ontario, which reported 412 new cases, is the latest province to announce some easing of restrictions on businesses, planning to let garden centres and hardware stores admit customers starting this weekend, and all other retail outlets that have a door to the outside, open for curbside pickup or delivery next week.

Toronto Mayor John Tory began signalling plans to restrict vehicle traffic on many city streets to make room for pedestrians and cyclists to get outside while still maintaining physical distancing from others.

As of Wednesday, Tam said more than 970,000 tests have been completed in Canada, an increase of more than 30,000 from the day before. Canada should pass the one million mark for tests within the next day.

But two weeks ago, Tam said she felt provinces had the capacity to expand the daily testing to 60,000.

Tam and deputy public health chief Dr. Howard Njoo say the number of tests done is not as important as ensuring the right tests are being done, on the right people.

But Tam said there are provinces expanding their testing criteria to include people with very mild or even abnormal COVID-19 symptoms, hoping to spot possible community cases that are going undetected.

“Many jurisdictions now are opening up clinics where people with even mild symptoms can get tested,” she said.

Tam said reopening schools and businesses relies heavily on being able to test and trace contacts of positive infections. Because so much of the spread of COVID-19 can come from people without any symptoms, she also stressed that physical distancing and hand washing will remain critical.

Canada has averaged a little more than 30,000 tests a day for the last week, with the highest daily total about 42,000 on April 30.

Ontario failed to meet its target of 16,000 tests for the second day in a row Wednesday, after exceeding it for the previous three days. Just under 13,000 tests were done May 5, and 10,564 on May 4.

Premier Doug Ford, who blasted some local public health officials Tuesday for failing to complete provincial orders on testing, said Wednesday he wouldn’t apologize for the comments. Everyone must be held accountable, he said.

Ford’s frustration over testing aside, he said Ontario’s overall case numbers are good enough to start easing restrictions on the retail sector. Ontario is not, however, following Quebec’s lead and allowing seniors in private retirement residences where no COVID-19 is present to have visitors or go outside for a walk. Quebec announced Tuesday its move to lift those restrictions starting next week.

In Quebec more than 250 outbreaks have been reported in retirement homes. And in Ontario more than 220 seniors’ homes have an outbreak of COVID-19. Nationally, more than 80 per cent of all deaths are linked to long-term care.

Both provinces requested military help in the homes, with thousands of healthcare workers off sick or in isolation because of COVID-19. Treasury Board President Jean-yves Duclos said more than 700 members of the military are already on site in 13 Quebec care homes.

Several outbreaks in care homes have been resolved, including 41 in Ontario. The first care home in Canada to declare an outbreak, the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver, was declared free of the virus Tuesday, two months after the outbreak was announced.

Outside of Quebec, Ontario and the La Loche region, the spread of the virus appears to be very slow. Atlantic Canada reported just eight new cases Wednesday — seven in Nova Scotia and one in New Brunswick.

Prince Edward Island officials said only one of the 27 confirmed cases in that province hasn’t yet recovered. Newfoundland reported no new cases for the fifth day in a row. Manitoba reported two new cases Wednesday. Saskatchewan reported 25, with all but three of them in La Loche.