Canadians urged to avoid large in-person gatherings

Ottawa, Oct 26 (IANS) Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam has urged all the residents of the country to avoid large gatherings amid the ongoing second coronavirus wave.In a statement on Sunday, Tam said that "now is not the time for hosting large in-person gatherings", reports Xinhua news agency.Canada has witnessed a surge in the number of new Covid-19 cases since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said late last month that the second wave had already begun in the country.The latest national-level data indicate daily averages of 2,488 new cases, said Tam.Canada confirmed a total of 216,104 Covid-19 cases and 9,946 deaths as of Sunday afternoon, according to CTV.Canadian experts said there were a variety of factors contributing to the country's recent surge in record-breaking cases including Thanksgiving celebrations, fewer restrictions and increased testing capacity.Quebec province continues to be the epicentre of the pandemic in Canada, surpassing 100,000 confirmed cases on Sunday, while Ontario, the second-hardest hit, registered more than 1,000 new infections for the first time.On Sunday, Quebec reported 879 new cases, bringing the total to 100,114 cases in the province. It reported 6,143 deaths.Meanwhile, Ontario province reported 1,042 new cases, taking its overall tally to 70,373 with 3,093 deaths.Public health officials across Canada have re-urged people to be extra vigilant during the second wave of the pandemic, as colder weather pushes people indoors.Tam said there is a concern that Canada has not yet seen the full impact of the recent increase in Covid-19 cases, as hospitalizations and deaths generally lag behind case numbers.She added that influenza and other respiratory infections place an added strain on hospitals in the fall and winter months, making it even more important to heed preventive measures. "Right now, doing the best thing to keep our family, friends and community safer means keeping safely apart."
--IANS ksk/