Statement from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada on July 26, 2020

OTTAWA, ON, July 26, 2020 /CNW/ - In lieu of an in-person update to the media, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, issued the following statement today:

"There have been 113,556 cases of COVID-19 in Canada, including 8,885 deaths. 87% of people have now recovered. Labs across Canada have tested over 3,761,927 people for COVID-19 to date. Over the past week, an average of 44,000 people were tested daily, with 1% testing positive and an average of over 485 cases being reported daily from across the country.

Living with COVID-19 means striking a balance between resuming activities while keeping the rate of transmission low.

In the absence of a vaccine, living with COVID-19 is not without risk. As our economy and society opens up, we will continue to see cases and clusters of COVID-19. That is why we need to proceed slowly and carefully as we live through the next phases of this pandemic.

Recent national surveillance data show that young adults aged 20-39 years of age account for the highest incidence rates across all ages in Canada. For the most recent reporting week (July 15-22, 2020), incidence rates were highest for males and females in the 20-29 year age group, at 14.4 and 13.8 cases per 100,000 population, respectively. This is followed by incidence rates of 9.4 and 7.0 cases per 100,000 population in males and females in the 30-39 year age group.  

Moreover, people in any age groups, not just elderly adults, can face serious health consequences due to the complications of COVID-19. Younger Canadians are not invincible to severe illness. Sixty-three percent of COVID-19 cases reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada this past week were young people under the age of 39 years and one third (31%) of these were hospitalized for their illness.

Our public health objective remains to minimize severe illness and overall deaths during this pandemic. To achieve this, Canadians must continue to take steps to reduce their risk of exposure to the virus and spread of the infection to others, particularly vulnerable individuals. In addition to limiting our contacts to a small and consistent social circle, assessing your risks, taking everyday personal hygiene precautions and avoiding high-risk settings and activities will help prevent spread of the virus.

For additional information on how you can reduce your risk of infection and prevent spreading the virus to others consult the Government of Canada "Going out safely during COVID-19" guidance, available online at:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/covid-19-going-out-safely.html 

Remember, the best way to reduce your risk of exposure to the virus is to avoid or strictly limit your time in the 3-C high-risk settings and situations: avoid Closed spaces with poor ventilation, Crowdedplaces where many people are gathered and Close contacts where you can't keep your 2 metre physical distance from others.

The more time you spend in these high-risk spaces/situations and the more people present, the greater your risk for exposure. For times when you can't avoid these situations, like when shopping or visiting other indoor public spaces, wear a non-medical mask or face covering. Visit Canada.ca/coronavirus for more information on how to wear a non-medical mask or face covering correctly, as well as the latest case numbers, public health advice and guidance."

SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada