Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Saturday
CBC
The latest:
Canada's chief public health officer is urging those who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to take that step as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to strain health-care systems across the country.
"Currently, we still need millions more Canadians to increase their protection with #COVID19 vaccines, including almost 7 million eligible people who need a 1st or 2nd dose," Dr. Theresa Tam tweeted on Saturday.
Tam also urged those who have had both shots to book a booster dose if they're eligible, citing "accumulating evidence" that a third shot provides protection against severe illness from Omicron.
"This may feel like a double marathon we didn't sign up for, but we can draw strength knowing the ground we've covered so far to stay on track and work together to get where we need to go," Tam said.
Her comments come as provinces struggle with Omicron-driven surges.
In Ontario, the number of people hospitalized continued its upward trend, reaching a new pandemic high of 2,594 on Saturday.
Health officials reported 13,362 new lab-confirmed cases, although the actual daily count is likely much higher given that the province has reduced access to PCR testing for most people.
The province also reported 31 additional deaths related to COVID-19 on Saturday.
A total of 385 people were undergoing treatment for the illness in intensive care units, up by 47 from the previous day.
New Brunswick also saw a record for hospitalizations, with that figure reaching 80 on Saturday, up 11 from the day before.
In Quebec, the number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations rose by 163 for a total of 2,296 on Saturday. Health officials reported 245 patients in intensive care, an increase of 16 from Friday.
The province also reported 44 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus on Saturday, the highest daily death toll in nearly a year.
With lab-based testing capacity deeply strained and increasingly restricted, experts say true case counts are likely far higher than reported. Hospitalization data at the regional level is also evolving, with several provinces saying they will report figures that separate the number of people in hospital because of COVID-19 from those in hospital for another medical issue who also test positive for COVID-19.
