The chief public health officer of Canada has provided an update on national projections for the spread of COVID-19.
Dr Theresa Tam said that, so far, 740,000 tests have been carried out, with about 20,000 people getting tested daily.
Of those, 7% have tested positive.
Federal forecasting data suggest that by May 5, as many as 3,883 people could die with COVID-19.
Photo credit: Canadian Press
By the same date, there could be as many as 66,835 cases in Canada.
Dr Tam also warned that the country needs to remain "vigilant" even as the number of new cases declines.
Distancing measures will have to be kept in place to avoid a second wave, she said.
Dr Tam added that the new models are planning tools that allow illness rates to be forecasted in the short term and to allow public health measures to be adjusted.
She also said the initial models released on April 9 under-predicted the number of deaths in Canada.
But she added that with a large number of outbreaks occurring in long term care homes, there has been a higher fatality rate.
