Positive signs in Canada’s COVID-19 numbers, but we’re not out of the woods yet

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – There’s some good news and bad news out of Ontario in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The province is reporting fewer than 2,000 new cases for the first time in over a month. But the province’s health minister says the lower number is likely due to a reporting error at Toronto Public Health.

Still, case counts in Ontario have been trending downward since the stay-at-home order took effect last week. However, hospital capacity is still a major concern, with 400 COVID-19 patients currently in that province’s ICU.

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Meanwhile, Quebec and Manitoba have also seen their numbers drop lately. That could be a sign the province’s efforts to contain the virus have been working, but health authorities caution it’s a bit too early to draw conclusions from the data.

Quebec reported under 1,400 cases on Tuesday, its lowest daily count since the start of December. Manitoba reported 111 new cases.

Here in .B.C., Dr. Bonnie Henry reported Monday that there were 1,330 COVID-19 infections and 31 deaths over the weekend.

LIVE MAP: COVID-19 vaccination trackers in Canada and the world

These case counts come as the federal government announces a deferment in the shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer. That shipment was supposed to arrive in Canada next week, but Maj. Gen. Dany Fortin announced Tuesday that the shipments will instead pick up in the first two weeks of February.

He said this week’s deliveries will be around 82 per cent of what was expected, and none will arrive next week. Only half of the expected amount will be coming in the first half of next month.

Maj Gen Dany Fortin says next week's Pfizer vaccine shipment will be deferred, meaning Canada will not get a Pfizer delivery. Will pick up in the first two weeks of February #cdnpoli

— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) January 19, 2021

This comes after Pfizer reported a temporary reduction in the company’s ability to deliver vaccines as it makes improvements to its facilities to increase production capacity in the long run.

-With files from Cormac Mac Sweeney and Yasmin Gandham