Dire warning from PM, Canada’s top doctor as COVID-19 cases continue to spike

OTTAWA – With COVID-19 cases surging across the country, the prime minister is urging provinces and Canadians to do all they can to stop the spread of the virus.

“We have to reverse these trends now,” Justin Trudeau said on Friday, as he outlined the grim situation the country is in.

Canada recorded a record number of new cases on Thursday and estimates suggest that, on the current trend, Canada could hit an average of 10,000 cases daily by early next month.

The recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the country has been linked to informal social gatherings — inside and outside homes.

“Unfortunately, the virus will take any and every opportunity to spread. So our best protection for ourselves, our family, and our community is to consistently maintain public health practices,” Canada Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said.

Trudeau stressed Canadians can’t let their guard down. In a phone call Thursday night, the prime minister promised provinces all the resources they need to fight COVID-19, and urged premiers to do all that’s necessary, including another potential lockdown of businesses, to get a hold of the situation.

While he vowed the federal government’s support, Trudeau also warned that resources, like personal protective equipment, are not unlimited.

“There is a threshold beyond which when the cases spike too much, we might have to make really difficult choices about where to deploy the limited resources we have,” he said.

Trudeau also announced $1.5-billion for training to help people find new jobs as the country and economy rebuild.

“This new investment will ensure quick access to training so that workers in sectors hardest hit by COVID-19, as well as underrepresented groups, like persons with disabilities, women, and Indigenous peoples, can find and keep good jobs,” he explained.

The prime minister will be sitting down with the 13 premiers again in early December to discuss the possibility of increasing healthcare transfers.

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