Statement from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada on October 18, 2020

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 18, 2020 /CNW/ - In lieu of an in-person update to the media, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, issued the following statement today:

"There have been 196,321 cases of COVID-19 in Canada, including 9,746 deaths. Nationally, there are 21,129 active cases across the country. For the latest 7 day period with national data, labs across Canada have tested an average of over 77,000 people daily, with 2.4% testing positive. As of Friday October 16th, 2020, an average of 2,310 cases were being reported daily across Canada over a seven-day period. As some provinces and territories do not report new cases over the weekend, the next update for the average daily case count will be provided on Tuesday, once these numbers have been compiled.

We've sacrificed a lot and learned a lot during these many months of living with COVID-19. Our challenge now and going forward is to remain united in our efforts to get all of Canada back on a "slow burn". Our goal is to reduce cases of COVID-19 infection to manageable levels. But Public health cannot do this alone. Everyone is needed on the frontlines, from essential workers to volunteers to businesses, workplaces, and everyday citizens across Canada.

We can all do our part individually by committing to proven effective public health measures including self-isolating at home if experiencing any symptoms, maintaining physical distancing, wearing a face mask as appropriate and keeping up with hand, cough and surface hygiene. And we can go the extra mile by sharing credible information with others on COVID-19 risks and prevention practices and measures to reduce COVID-19 in your community or by downloading the COVID Alert app to break the cycle of infection and help limit the spread of COVID-19. Read my backgrounder for more COVID-19 Information and Resources to increase your COVID know-how and use your knowledge to support, guide, and influence others.

Got a platform to spread the word further, on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or within your gaming community? Here are some COVID-19 awareness resources including graphics to help you spread the message on how we can all work together to keep us on the slow burn COVID-19 trajectory in Canada."

SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada