The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada

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

6:30 p.m.

B.C. is reporting 68 new cases of COVID-19, the lowest daily rate since last August, as the province prepares to enter the second stage of its restart plan tomorrow.

The new cases announced are among 277 diagnosed since Friday for a total of 1,537 active infections, including 136 people who are in hospital. 

Another four people have died, pushing the death toll in B.C. to 1,734.

Just over 74 per cent of all eligible residents aged 12 and up have now had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine out of more than four million shots administered.

Health officials say it’s important to remember that while public health orders have been amended to expand indoor gatherings allowed in homes, restaurants and other businesses starting tomorrow, certain restrictions remain in place.

—

5:40 p.m.

Health officials in Alberta are reporting 115 new cases of COVID-19 and no new deaths.

The province says there are 3,089 active cases and 2,356 of those are of the more contagious variants of concern.

There are 270 people in hospital due to the virus, with 32 of those patients in intensive care.

A total of 2,270 have died of COVID-19 in Alberta since the pandemic began last year.

—

4:15 p.m.

Saskatchewan is reporting 55 new COVID-19 cases and one new death.

Officials say more than 903,000 doses of vaccine have now been administered in the province.

They say 69 per cent of Saskatchewan’s population aged 18 and older and 67 per cent of residents aged 12 and older have received at least one dose.

If another three per cent of eligible residents get their shot in the next six days, officials say they would be able to lift all remaining health restrictions on July 11.

Ninety-five people remain in hospital with COVID-19.

—

1:35 p.m.

Manitoba is reporting 124 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths. 

The province’s chief public health officer says the numbers are heading in the right direction, but hospitalization rates remain high. 

The province says 26 intensive care patients are being treated in other provinces to free up bed space.

—

1:30 p.m.

New Brunswick is reporting that 74.8 per cent of people aged 12 and older have now received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Health officials say another 1,345 people need to receive their first dose to reach the 75 per cent mark, which is necessary to begin loosening pandemic restrictions.

They are also reporting one new case of COVID-19 — a person in their 50s who is a contact of a previous case in the Bathurst area.

There are 90 known active cases of novel coronavirus, with seven people hospitalized, including three in intensive care.

—

1:25 p.m.

Manitoba has expanded eligibility for people who want a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Anyone in the general public who received their first shot on or before May 10 can now book a second dose, up from May 6. 

Indigenous persons and people with certain underlying medical conditions can book a second dose regardless of when their first appointment was.

—

1:05 p.m.

Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today.

All four cases were identified in the western health region and all are contacts of a previous case.

The cases involve two males under 20 years of age, a female under 20 years of age and a woman between 20 and 39 years old.

The province has 39 known active cases of novel coronavirus with no one in hospital due to the infection.

—

1 p.m.

An order restricting travel into Ontario from Quebec and Manitoba will lift on Wednesday.

The measure limited travel into Ontario from those provinces to essential reasons only and empowered law enforcement to question travellers.

The measure was introduced in April as the province battled a third wave of COVID-19.

The regulation expires at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday.

— 

12:30 p.m.

 Quebec says it will reopen its border with Ontario on Wednesday.

Travel from Ontario to Quebec has been restricted since April 19 due to concerns about the transmission of COVID-19 variants.

Travellers from Ontario will now be subject to the same COVID-19 restrictions as Quebec residents and a requirement that people travelling from Ontario to Quebec to return to their primary residence quarantine for 14 days has been lifted.

Quebec’s Public Security Department says the reopening will mean an end the “sporadic” border controls along the provincial boundary.

—

12:10 p.m.

Procurement Minister Anita Anand says Moderna is increasing their vaccine shipments to Canada again for June. 

Last week, the Massachusetts-based company announced they’d start shipping Canada’s doses from the United States instead of Europe, with 7.1 million doses to be arrive between June 14 and June 21. 

Anand says today the company will ship 8.7 million doses in that time frame instead, with two separate shipments of 2.9 million doses this week, and another 2.9 million doses shipped next week.

Moderna had been struggling to get Canada’s doses out the door from its European supply and didn’t think it would meet its second-quarter contract to ship 12.3 million doses, but this latest schedule will mean the company exceeds that contract. 

A total of 12.9 million doses are now expected between April and June, on top of two million shipped before March 31.

—

11:50 a.m.

Nova Scotia is reporting one COVID-19 related death today and eight new cases in the province.

Health officials say a woman in her 80s has died from the Halifax area, bringing the total number of deaths to 90 since the pandemic began.

All of the new confirmed cases have been identified in the Halifax area, with three being close contacts of previously reported cases, three under investigation and two related to travel.

The province has 124 known active cases of novel coronavirus with six people in hospital, including four in intensive care.

—

11:20 a.m.

Quebec is reporting 123 new cases of COVID-19 today and one additional death, which took place within the past 24 hours.

The Health Department says the number of hospitalizations declined by one from yesterday, to 214, and 54 people are in intensive care, a drop of four.

Officials say 75,533 doses of vaccine were administered yesterday. According to the province’s public health institute, 78.8 per cent of Quebecers over 12 have now received a first dose and 13.2 per cent of the population are fully vaccinated.

Montreal reported 48 new cases, with no other region in the province reporting more than 14 new cases.

—

10:40 a.m.

Ontario says it has accelerated its return-to-play plan for professional and elite amateur leagues as the province loosens COVID-19 restrictions.

Sports Minister Lisa MacLeod says that high-level teams can now hold non-contact practice and dry-land training in Ontario.

Teams and leagues will be allowed to resume games as soon as August, although there is currently no plan to allow spectators.

MacLeod says this includes the Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Raptors, and Toronto FC, although their ability to play teams in the United States is a federal responsibility.

—

10:30 a.m.

Ontario reports there are 447 new cases of COVID-19 in the province and four more deaths linked to the virus.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says there are 110 new cases in Toronto, 61 in Peel Region and 56 in Waterloo.

The Ministry of Health says 384 people are in hospital because of COVID-19 but notes that more than 10 per cent of hospitals did not submit data over the weekend.

Ontario says more than 135,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine were administered since Sunday’s report, for a total of over 11.3 million.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2021.

The Canadian Press