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COVID-19 Update for Canada
Calgary protest, August 1, 2021, against lifting
of Alberta public health guidelines.
Since the start of the pandemic, 1,428,683 cases
of COVID-19 and 26,570 deaths have been reported
in Canada by the Public Health Agency of Canada
according to its latest update, July 29. Variants
of concern represent the majority of recently
reported COVID-19 cases, including B.1.1.7
(Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (Gamma), and
B.1.617.2 (Delta), which have been detected in
most provinces and territories.
Despite
alarming spikes in Alberta, the government
announced the lifting of most public health
guidelines related to the pandemic, including that
by mid-August, there will be no requirement for
infected individuals to quarantine and no testing
until symptoms are severe. This is being opposed
by politicians, physicians, health care workers,
teachers, unions and other organizations, who have
been holding daily rallies (with social distancing
and masking) since the day after the announcement,
and by others across the country.
The July 29 seven-day moving average of 594 new
cases reported daily (July 22-28), shows an
increase of 39 per cent over the previous week.
Severe illness trends continue to decline, with
the latest provincial and territorial data showing
that an average of 486 people with COVID-19 were
being treated in Canadian hospitals each day
during that same period, which is 12 per cent
fewer than in the prior week. As well, on average,
228 people were being treated in intensive care
units, 8 per cent fewer than the previous week. An
average of eight deaths were reported daily.
Public Health Canada reiterates that as
jurisdictions begin to ease restrictions, risks
and circumstances are not the same everywhere and
following local public health advice continues to
be important, regardless of vaccination status.
While COVID-19 is still circulating in Canada and
internationally, core public health measures and
individual protective practices can help to reduce
the spread: stay home/self-isolate if you have
symptoms; be aware of risks associated with
different settings; avoid non-essential travel
outside Canada; and maintain individual protective
practices such as physical distancing and wearing
a well-fitted and properly worn face mask, as
appropriate.
This article was published in
Volume 51 Number 8 - August 1, 2021
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2021/Articles/M510085.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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