The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada

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

7:30 p.m.

Canada surpassed 400,000 vaccinations in a single day today, the highest single-day total to date.

More than 14 million people have now had at least one dose, about 37 per cent of all Canadians.

—

7:20 p.m.

The Manitoba government is imposing further restrictions as COVID-19 numbers continue to surge.

Starting Sunday morning, the cap on outdoor gatherings will drop to five people from 10.

Restaurants, bars and patios will close to in-person dining but can still provide takeout and delivery services.

Gyms, museums, art galleries and libraries will have to close and indoor religious services will be prohibited.

—

7:10 p.m.

B.C. is reporting 722 new cases of COVID-19, along with seven new deaths.

There are 6,757 current cases of COVID-19 across the province.

Health Minister Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry say in a joint statement that more than two million doses of vaccine have been given out.

Mounties are setting road checks across the province to ensure COVID-19 restrictions are being followed, with Dix and Henry urging people to stay home over the weekend.

—

6:25 p.m.

Alberta is reporting 1,980 new cases of COVID-19 cases and four additional deaths.

The province says there are currently 24,850 active cases.

There are 659 people in hospital because of the virus, and 150 of those patients are in intensive care.

—

6:25 p.m.

B.C.’s provincial health officer is defending the COVID-19-related data released by the province.

Dr. Bonnie Henry and deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson spoke at a news conference to discuss reports of leaked B.C. Centre for Disease Control documents highlighting COVID-19 prevalence in neighbourhoods, concerns about variants and other data not normally released to the public.

Henry says B.C. is releasing more data than many other provinces, and it will be looking at releasing some of the data mentioned in the reports moving forward.

She says residents need to understand there is a process to follow in collecting the data and then disseminating it to the wider public.

—

4:45 p.m.

Saskatchewan is reporting 295 new cases of COVID-19 today, and one more person has died.

The province is now dealing with 2,239 active cases.

There are 174 people in hospital, 38 of whom are in intensive care.

As of Thursday, 7,905 cases of COVID-19 variants of concern had been identified in Saskatchewan. 

More than half of those cases have been in the Regina area.

—

4 p.m.

P.E.I. is reporting one new case of COVID-19 today.

Chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison says the person is in their 30s and had recently travelled outside Atlantic Canada.

The Island currently has 10 active cases of novel coronavirus.

There have been 186 positive cases since the onset of the pandemic.

—

2 p.m.

New Brunswick health officials are reporting eight new cases of COVID-19, including two travel-related cases of New Brunswickers who are isolating outside the province.

The cases involve people from four different regions, ranging in age from their 20s to their 60s.

Eight patients are hospitalized, including three who are out of province, and two people are in intensive care.

The province has now had 1,988 cases since the pandemic began, with 40 deaths and 1,807 recoveries.

—

1:45 p.m.

The Saskatchewan government says all residents who are 12 and older will be eligible for a first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine by May 20.

The eligible age is set to drop to 32 tomorrow and will go down every second day until May 20. 

The province also plans to expand its pharmacy vaccination pilot rollout as more doses become available.

Officials say they will also be relaxing some of the COVID-19 restrictions in the Regina area on May 17.

They say restaurants and licensed establishments will be able to reopen for in-person dining under the same guidelines as the rest of the province.

—

1:35 p.m.

The Manitoba government is reporting 502 new COVID-19 cases and one death. 

It’s the highest daily case count since the second wave of the pandemic last winter. 

The deputy chief public health officer, Dr. Jazz Atwal, says the numbers are alarming. 

The province is expanding intensive care bed capacity in anticipation of growing demand.

—

1:35 p.m.

Nova Scotia is reporting one new death related to COVID-19 and 227 new cases today.

Health officials say a woman in her 70s has died in the Halifax area and is the 70th virus-related death since the start of the pandemic.

As of today, Nova Scotia has 1,464 active cases of COVID-19, with 50 people in hospital, including nine in intensive care.

Officials have also announced tighter border restrictions and isolation requirements for rotational workers, and limits on shoppers for the month of May

Nova Scotia’s provincial boundary has been closed to most of Canada, but will also close beginning Monday to people coming from Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, who were previously exempted.

—

12:50 p.m.

Ottawa is making more rapid COVID-19 tests available to small and medium-sized businesses.

Tests that screen for the virus in as little as 15 minutes can be ordered from 40 Shopper’s Drug Mart locations in Ontario and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s network. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says more screening and testing mean safer workplaces and less community transmission, which will help the economy reopen faster.

—

12:45 p.m.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister has backed off a plan to have teachers and other school workers cross the border into North Dakota for COVID-19 vaccines. 

Pallister says the teachers’ union was against the idea, so he is instead hoping the United States government will give North Dakota special permission to ship vaccines into Manitoba. 

Pallister says that could take time, and the delay is why he wanted the ability to have teachers go south for their shots.

—

12 p.m.

The Manitoba government is doubling fines for repeat offenders of COVID-19 public health orders. 

Premier Brian Pallister says most people are following the rules, but some are repeatedly violating guidelines and putting others at risk.

Fines for first offences will still be in the range of $298 for not wearing a mask in indoor public places to $5,000 for corporations that exceed capacity limits.

—

11:50 a.m.

The Manitoba government is offering a new paid sick leave program for people affected by COVID-19.

The program will provide employers with up to $600 per worker for up to five full days, which do not have to be consecutive. 

Eligible reasons for accessing the program include testing, vaccinations and side effects, and self-isolation due to COVID-19 symptoms.

—

11:15 a.m.

Quebec is reporting 919 new COVID-19 cases today and five more deaths attributed to the virus, including two in the past 24 hours.

Health officials say hospitalizations dropped by six to 574, while the number of patients in intensive care declined by five to 139.

Quebec vaccinated 102,762 people on Thursday, a single-day record, and has now administered at least one dose to slightly more than 40 per cent of the population.

The province has reported a total of 356,216 COVID-19 infections and 10,974 deaths linked to the virus.

Quebec has 8,737 active reported cases.

—

10:50 a.m.

Nunavut is reporting one new case of COVID-19 today and 10 recoveries.

All are in Iqaluit, Nunavut’s capital city of about 8,000 residents.

There are now 77 active cases of COVID-19 in Nunavut, with 75 in Iqaluit and two in Kinngait

Three people have been hospitalized in Ottawa since the first case was declared in Iqaluit on April 14.

The two regions with active cases remain under strict lockdowns, with schools, workplaces and non-essential businesses closed and travel restricted.

To date, 80 per cent of Iqaluit’s adult population has received at least one dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.

—

10:45 a.m.

Ontario reports there are 3,166 new cases of COVID-19 in the province today and 23 more deaths linked to the virus.

The Ministry of Health says today’s case count may be under-reported due to a technical issue with the laboratory data feed.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says there are 876 new cases in Toronto, 817 in Peel Region, and 300 in York Region.

The province says more than 1,900 people are hospitalized because of the virus, with 858 patients in intensive care and 611 on a ventilator.

—

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2021

The Canadian Press