TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th April, 2020) Canadian health officials said on Tuesday that they project up to 18,000 additional cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and more than 1,100 COVID-19-related deaths over the next week.
The projections, released by the Public Health Agency of Canada, revealed that the number of confirmed infections will range between 53,196 and 66,835, while the number of deaths is expected to fall in the 3,227-3,883 range by May 5.
"The predicted number of COVID-19 cases could be in the range of 53,000 to 67,000 cases by May 5," Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam told reporters during a technical briefing on the projections. "The predicted number of deaths due to COVID-19 could be in the range of 3,300 to 3,900 cases by May 5."
Unchanged were the long-term projections, according to which, Canada could experience as many as 44,000 deaths over the course of the pandemic. However, more moderate projections indicate 11,000 to 22,000 deaths at an infection rate of 2.5 to 5 percent of the total population.
The announcement also highlighted the scope of the tragedy unfolding in long-term care facilities across the country. According to the latest data, the vast majority - 79 percent - of fatalities are linked to care homes and that 95 percent of deaths are individuals over the age of 60.
The dire situation in care facilities have compelled the provinces of Quebec and Ontario to request additional military assistance from the Federal government; the military has already honored three requests from Quebec.
The data showed that while the spread of COVID-19 has tapered off in most provinces, while Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta still face an uphill battle.
As of Tuesday, Canada's public health agency has reported 49,025 confirmed case of the novel coronavirus, including 2,766 virus-related fatalities.
