Canada in 4th wave, top doc says days ahead of expected election call

By: The Canadian Press Posted: Last Modified:

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OTTAWA - Canada's chief public health officer says the country is now in the midst of a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/08/2021 (1884 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA – Canada’s chief public health officer says the country is now in the midst of a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Theresa Tam’s assessment follows a troubling surge in new cases over the past two weeks that is being driven by the Delta variant.

It also comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to ask Gov.-Gen. Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament as soon as this weekend.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau puts on a mask as he listens to Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam speak via video conference during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa, Friday, March 12, 2021. Tam says the country is now in the midst of a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau puts on a mask as he listens to Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam speak via video conference during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa, Friday, March 12, 2021. Tam says the country is now in the midst of a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

That would trigger an election campaign, sending federal politicians onto the hustings amid the possibility of new lockdowns.

Tam declined to say whether she would advise against a federal election during a new wave of COVID-19 cases.

But she did say that she expects anyone who is campaigning to follow local public health rules.

Tam says the vast majority of new COVID-19 cases in Canada are among unvaccinated parts of the population.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2021.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on during a childcare funding announcement in Montreal, Thursday, August 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

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