The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada

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

7:30 p.m.

Yukon health officials are reporting 29 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of active cases in the territory to 87. 

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brendan Hanley says 22 cases are in Whitehorse and seven are in rural communities.

Hanley says 31 of the cases are believed to be caused by the Gamma variant of the virus, which was first identified in Brazil.

The territory has seen 182 cases of COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic.

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6:10 p.m.

Alberta is reporting six additional COVID-19 deaths and 127 new cases of the virus.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province’s chief medical officer of health, says in a series of tweets that the new cases were identified from 5,055 completed tests, for a positivity rate of 2.5 per cent.

Hinshaw says there are 2,170 active COVID-19 infections in Alberta, with 221 patients in hospital and 49 in intensive care.

She says 3.7 million doses of vaccine have been administered across the province, with 70.4 per cent of Albertans over the age of 12 with one dose and 27.3 per cent with two.

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5 p.m.

Saskatchewan says Step Three of its COVID-19 reopening plan will begin on July 11.

The province had said it would begin the third stage three weeks after 70 per cent of adults received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

The province’s daily pandemic update says that goal was reached today.

In Step Three, the majority of public health measures will be lifted and the only remaining restrictions will be on mass public gatherings and the mandatory masking order.

Saskatchewan also reported 55 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday.

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2:50 p.m.

Manitoba is reporting three new deaths of people with COVID-19 and 151 additional cases of the virus.

Two of the deaths were linked to outbreaks in hospitals — one at Winnipeg’s Health Science Centre and another at Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach.

Manitoba’s current five-day test-positivity rate is 8.3 per cent provincially and 7.4 per cent in Winnipeg.

The province says 58 virus patients are in intensive care, and another 18 from the province are in ICUs in neighbouring provinces.

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2:20 p.m.

New Brunswick residents who have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are being encouraged to book an appointment for their second shot.

The province announced today that everyone who received their first dose before May 15 can now book an appointment for their second dose.

Currently, 76.1 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 17.6 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Public Health reported five new cases of COVID-19 in the province today, bringing the number of active infections to 55.

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2:10 p.m.

Nova Scotia is reporting six new cases of COVID-19 and 10 recoveries fromt he virus over the past 24 hours.

Four of the most recent cases are in the central zone, with three close contacts of previously reported cases and one under investigation.

Two cases are in the western zone, with one related to travel and the other under investigation.

As of today, Nova Scotia has 88 active cases of COVID-19, with six people in hospital due to the virus and three patients in intensive care.  

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11:15 a.m.

Quebec is reporting 160 new cases of COVID-19 today and nine more deaths attributed to the virus, none of which occured in the last 24 hours.

Health officials say hospitalizations increased by three in the past 24 hours and now stand at 178, while the number of patients in intensive care is holding steady at 39. 

The province says it administered 85,917 doses of COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, for a total of  7,249,641 ; about 70 per cent of Quebecers have received at least a first dose. 

Quebec’s health ministry announced on Friday that walk-in clinics offering the Pfizer vaccine are on hold until June 24 due to a shipment delay. 

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10:50 a.m.

Ontario is reporting 355 new CASES of COVID-19 across the province over the past 24 hours. 

Provincial data also shows 13 new deaths linked to the virus. 

Health Minister Christine Elliott says there are 58 new cases in Toronto, 54 in Waterloo,45 in Peel Region, 23 in Hamilton and 22 in the region served by the Porcupine Health Unit.

The Ministry of Health says 336 people are in hospital with the virus, with 335 patients in intensive care and 221 on a ventilator.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2021.

The Canadian Press