Officials in Quebec and in the country’s capital, Ottawa, announced that a second wave had already spread to their cities and communities. Canada’s average seven-day period now stands at just under 1,000 cases per day, according to Johns Hopkins University and Public Health Canada.
“I’m telling you now that the curve is not what it was in the spring, but it’s still very bad,” said Dr. Horacio Arruda, director of public health for Quebec, during a press conference in Quebec City on Monday. “If we don’t do something, it will go up some more, and I tell you it won’t be fun.”
Across the country, public health experts say Canadians have too many close social contacts between family and friends and young people are gathering in very large groups to contain the spread. Canadian government statistics show that about two-thirds of new positive cases of Coronavirus have been detected in people under the age of 40.
Part of the intervention powers planned include strengthening enforcement of restrictions on large gatherings. In cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, city officials, domestic law officers and police say they are ramping up enforcement of strict protocols that limit indoor and private gatherings to six or ten meetings. In Ontario, the minimum fine for breaking the rules is $ 7,500.
“I know it’s difficult, I want to acknowledge that we want to see our friends and family, but we are definitely in a second wave,” Valerie Blunt, mayor of Montreal, told a news conference on Monday. “We want to limit the damage.”
Fire chief Matthew Page is the captain of the Coronavirus accident in Toronto and recently returned to his duties full time as the number of cases soared in Canada’s largest city.
“We are well positioned and certainly ready to implement as required,” Page said during a news conference in Toronto on Monday.
Toronto Mayor John Tory has again pleaded with residents to stay home as much as possible if they do not go to work or school. People were asked to keep social contacts to a minimum.
Tory said during a news conference meeting on Monday.
In British Columbia, public health officials are describing the sudden spike in cases as a resurgence rather than a second wave so far.
“The important thing is that we can manage this, can we keep this under control without having this exponential, fast-growing growth, and so far we’ve been able to do that,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, Regional Health Officer in British Columbia. Monday press conference.
The sudden rise in cases comes two weeks after the Labor Day holiday and with the majority of Canadian children returning to personal learning in schools.
Officials say hospital admissions have crept in, but are stable, and add that they will wait for more data before deciding whether and when to implement further closures or restrictions.
