The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada on Jan. 4, 2021

The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern):

6:45 p.m.

Yukon is reporting another COVID-19 case, bringing the total infections in the territory to 65.

The territory says in a statement the latest case was diagnosed in a Whitehorse resident who contracted the virus from a previous case diagnosed in Yukon.

The person is self-isolating and recovering at home.

The latest infection comes as Yukon launches its territory-wide immunization campaign with a goal to vaccinate 75 per cent of its population by March.

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6:40 p.m.

Alberta is reporting 1,128 new cases of COVID-19.

That brings the new infections over the past five days to 5,107.

Over that time, there have been 96 additional deaths.

There are 905 people in hospital with the virus, and 136 of them are in intensive care.

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6:30 p.m.

British Columbia’s top doctor is reporting 45 more deaths and 2,211 new cases of COVID-19 over a four-day period between Dec. 31, 2020, and Monday.

Dr. Bonnie Henry says there are 6,823 active infections in the province, including 351 people who are hospitalized, while more than 45,200 people have recovered from the illness.

Henry announced the latest case numbers while offering more details about B.C.’s immunization program, which is currently focused on health-care staff, remote communities and residents of long-term care homes.

She says B.C. has so far received 54,625 doses of the two vaccines approved by Health Canada, with more doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arriving in the province weekly.

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5:40 p.m.

Manitoba’s governing Progressive Conservatives have confirmed that one of their caucus members travelled out of province during the holidays. 

The Tories say James Teitsma drove through Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia with his immediate household members between Dec. 21 and 30. 

The party says Teitsma and his family did not gather or socialize with anyone outside their household and all public health orders were followed. 

Interprovincial travel is allowed under Manitoba public health orders, but health officials have advised people to avoid non-essential travel.

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4:55 p.m.

A large COVID-19 vaccination site opened today in Winnipeg, and the Manitoba government says some 4,500 appointments have already been made for this week. 

Eligible health-care workers are being asked to call to book the estimated 1,600 remaining spots.

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3:40 p.m.

Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting its first new COVID-19 infection of 2021.

The new case involves a man between 20 and 39 years old in the central region of the province.

Officials say his infection is travel-related and contact tracing is underway.

Health Minister John Haggie says 1,785 people in the province have been vaccinated so far.

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3:35 p.m.

Health authorities in Nova Scotia say six new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the province since Saturday.

Officials say two cases were confirmed Sunday and four were confirmed Monday.

The low single-digit numbers come as in-person dining resumed Monday in Halifax-area bars and restaurants.

Health officials shut down dining rooms in late November in an effort to contain community spread of COVID-19 in the region.

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3 p.m.

The City of Toronto will identify workplaces with COVID-19 outbreaks going forward.

The measure was announced Monday along with stricter guidelines for employers reporting cases among staff. 

Medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa says data will be broken down by workplace type and won’t compromise individuals’ privacy.

Mayor John Tory says public reporting will motivate employers to protect their workers and give clarity on where the virus is spreading in the city.

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2:45 p.m.

Saskatchewan is reporting 286 new cases of COVID-19.

Health officials say two more people who were 70 and older have also died.

There are 180 people in hospital and 35 people receiving intensive care.

The province says this week it will begin vaccinations for residents in northern Saskatchewan.

Health-care workers and those living and working in long-term care homes in that region are set to receive Moderna’s shot after supply arrived last week.

To date, Saskatchewan says a little more than 4,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have been given to health workers in Regina and Saskatoon.

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1:40 p.m.

New Brunswick is reporting 17 new COVID-19 infections — the highest number of daily reported cases in the province since Nov. 21.

Health officials say 12 of the new cases were in the Moncton area, three were in the Fredericton region and two were in the Campbellton area.

They say half the new cases involve people under 30 years old.

Authorities reported 17 COVID-19 infections over the weekend.

The province has identified 36 cases so far in 2021.

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1:40 p.m.

Ontario won’t grant an extension to the commission probing COVID-19 spread in long-term care homes.

Minister of Long-Term Care Merrilee Fullerton wrote to the commissioners saying the need for timely recommendations is too great and the final report is still expected by the end of April.

The commissioners had written Fullerton last month asking for an extension to Dec. 31 of this year, citing new information from the second wave and delays receiving government documents.

Provincial data says 219 long-term care homes are currently battling outbreaks, representing 35 per cent of all facilities in Ontario.

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1:35 p.m.

Manitoba is reporting 118 new COVID-19 cases and five additional deaths. 

Health officials say case numbers are continuing a downward trend since public health orders were tightened in November, but demands on the health-care system and the percentage of people testing positive remain high.

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11:15 a.m.

Ontario is reporting 3,270 new cases of COVID-19 today and 29 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says 917 cases are in Toronto, 581 in Peel, 389 in York Region and 246 in Windsor-Essex County. 

There are 1,190 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ontario, including 333 patients in intensive care. 

As of 8 p.m. on Sunday night, the province says 42,419 COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered in Ontario. Of those, 4,808 doses were administered Sunday. 

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11:10 a.m.

Quebec is reporting 2,546 new cases of COVID-19 today and 32 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.

The Health Department says 1,294 people are in hospital with the disease, a rise of 69 patients from the day before, while the number of people in intensive care rose by nine, to 188.

Officials say 1,711 doses of vaccine were administered Sunday, for a total of 30,473.

Quebec has reported 212,850 cases of COVID-19 and 8,379 deaths linked to the virus since the beginning of the pandemic.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2021.

The Canadian Press