Statement from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada on July 1, 2020

July 1, 2020                Ottawa, ON                 Public Health Agency of Canada

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 104,204 cases of COVID-19 in Canada, including 8,591 deaths. 65% of people have now recovered. Labs across Canada have tested over 2,770,153 people for COVID-19 to date. Over the past week, an average of 37,000 people were tested daily, with 1% testing positive. These numbers change quickly and are updated daily in the evenings on Canada.ca/coronavirus.

Happy Canada Day! I want to thank all Canadians for the hard work they have put in to keep the curve down. Our data show that your efforts are making a difference and that is reason to celebrate.

Right now, it is our actions, and our actions only, that will reduce the spread. While COVID-19 is still active in our communities, I want to remind Canadians to celebrate Canada Day safely.

To limit the spread of the virus, Canada’s iconic capital celebration has gone virtual. Fireworks are a staple in any Canada Day celebration and on July 1, at 10 pm local time, you can enjoy Canada Day fireworks on your mobile device or computer. If you have a smartphone or tablet, point it to the night sky to begin a 3-minute 3D firework display. For more information on how to celebrate Canada Day 2020, visit Canadian Heritage's webpage.

As we celebrate in new ways this year, please remember to:

Assess your risk in:

• Closed spaces with poor ventilation;
• Crowded places with large numbers of people gathered; and
• Close contact where you cannot keep two metres apart from others.

Bring:

• Hand sanitizer;
• A non-medical face mask or face covering to wear when it is difficult to  maintain 2 metres physical distance. Reserve the mask for use indoors in hot and humid weather. For more tips, visit Canada.ca/coronavirus.

Practice:

• Handwashing (frequently, using soap and water);
• Cough etiquette (cover your cough with a sleeve or tissue);
• Physical distancing (maintaining a two-metre distance from others); and
• Local public health advice and guidance

Let’s stay on course and win this marathon together — for Canada.

And in the spirit of following good public health advice, I will be taking some time off to rest-up and recharge.  During this time, Dr. Howard Njoo, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer of Canada will deliver briefings, statements and tweets to keep Canadians informed.