Canada sees continued downward trend in daily COVID-19 cases

Canada is seeing a continued downward trend in daily COVID-19 cases, with a cumulative total of 816,145 cases of COVID-19 and 21,063 deaths as of Thursday afternoon, reported Xinhua quoting CTV.

Ontario province reported 945 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, although case counts from Toronto had been underreported due to an ongoing data migration. The province reported 18 additional deaths, bringing the provincial death toll to 6,614.

Hospitalizations in Ontario stood at 883, with 299 people listed as being in the province's intensive care units.

The Ontario government announced to postpone March Break for students and teachers for a month.

The week-long break, which was originally scheduled for March 15-19, will now take place on the week of April 12.

Quebec province reported 1,121 new cases of COVID-19 and 37 additional deaths on Thursday. Hospitalizations stood at 874, with 143 COVID-19 patients in intensive care, according to an update posted to a provincial site.

The country is seeing a steady decline in COVID-19 activity. "Currently, there are 38,242 active cases across the country. The latest national-level data show a continued downward trend in daily case counts, with a seven-day average of 3,476 new cases daily (Feb. 4-10)," the Public Health Agency of Canada said Thursday.

Following the decrease in COVID-19 activity, severe outcomes continue to decline as expected for these lagging indicators.

"An average of 3,130 people with COVID-19 were being treated in Canadian hospitals each day during the most recent seven-day period (Feb. 4-10), including 702 of whom were being treated in intensive care units. During the same period, there were an average of 93 COVID-19-related deaths reported daily," added the agency.