Fourth wave of COVID-19 levelling off, but still high in regions with lower vaccine uptake: modelling

The Delta-driven fourth wave of the pandemic appears to be levelling off nationally, though in provinces and health regions with lower vaccination coverage, unvaccinated people are continuing to experience severe outcomes at 'elevated' rates, according to Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam.

New national modelling released Friday shows that while daily case counts have slowed, in some provinces and territories like Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories, COVID-19 infections are continuing to put “significant strain on the health system.”

Though, as vaccination rates continue to increase across the country, the epidemic has dropped out of a growth pattern nationally, according to documents issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada on Friday.

The forecast provides a more optimistic outlook than the agency issued last month, warning then that that without reduced levels of virus transmission, Canada’s daily COVID-19 caseload could reach unprecedented highs.

As of Friday morning, according to CTV News’ vaccine tracker, 81.5 per cent of those eligible are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and there are currently 41,137 active infections nationwide.