April 7th – Canadian public health officials say that a rapidly spreading mutant coronavirus strain may have replaced the original strain in many parts of the country, and the mutant strain is causing more young people to get sick and sending more people to the hospital intensive care unit (ICU).
According to CNN on the 7th, Public Health Canada said that the number of ICUs in the country has increased by 18% in the past week alone, and new mutant strains are placing a “heavy burden” on the country’s hospital service capacity.
“As the infection rate increases, we’re seeing more and more young people with COVID-19 being treated in hospitals,” said Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer.
She added that so far, more than 15,000 cases caused by mutant strains have been found, the vast majority of which are the first cases of B.1.1.7 mutant strains found in the United Kingdom, which is seven times more infectious and far more lethal than the original strain.
At a press conference on Tuesday (6th), the Prime Minister of Canada described the country as experiencing a “very serious” third wave of the epidemic.
He said that the number of coronavirus hospitalizations is soaring, more and more ICU beds are being occupied, the coronavirus variant strain is spreading in various forms, and even those who say they don’t have to worry are being diagnosed.
He made a clear appeal to young people, urging them to “stay at home” because young people have become vulnerable groups.
