COVID-19 epidemiology update: Summary
Last updated: 2024-09-24

 PDF

Summary of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths, testing and variants of concern, and outbreaks
across Canada and over time. Older versions of this report are available on the archived reports page.

Update schedule: We update all sections of this page every Tuesday. This page was last updated on
September 24, 2024, 1 pm ET.

 Change to data reported
As of June 11, 2024, we no longer present COVID-19 case counts in these sections of this page:
Latest COVID-19 numbers
Refer to provincial and territorial web pages for regional level information.

Weekly highlights
For information on other respiratory viruses circulating in Canada, and comparisons with COVID-19, please
visit the new Respiratory Virus Detections dashboard, and the weekly Fluwatch report.

General trends
Nationally, COVID-19 indicators are stable at elevated levels compared to the spring. However, trends
vary across the provinces and territories.
In the latest reporting week, five reporting provinces and territories reported moderate to high COVID-19
Activity Levels with stable trends, while two reported low Activity Levels that were decreasing or
increasing.
Since April 2024, COVID-19 outbreaks have been slowly increasing with some periods of stabilization.
Following a period of stable trends in June 2024, outbreak incidence has been steadily increasing, up to
the beginning of the accumulating data period on August 24, 2024.

Hospitalizations and deaths
Weekly COVID-19 deaths remain low overall.

Variants
Nationally, the JN.1* group continues to be the dominant lineage group in Canada, with KP.3* sublineages like KP.3.1.1 being the primary sub-lineages showing growth.
On September 14, KP.3.1.1 is projected to have represented 68% of sequences, with the next closest
lineage being KP.2.3 at only 6%.

While the data we publish in the Current Situation tab may include provincial or territorial data
corrections or backfill (sometimes described as bulk reporting) in the week they are reported, the weekly
highlights account for these data corrections and focus on recent trends.
* Includes all descendant lineages, unless otherwise specified.

COVID-19 Activity Levels
COVID-19 activity levels provide a high-level summary to describe when and where COVID-19 is circulating
across Canada. The level of COVID-19 activity for each jurisdiction is determined by provincial and territorial
ministries of health. The weekly COVID-19 activity level is based on:
percent positivity
long-term care facility outbreaks per 1,000,000 population, andwastewater trends.

Figure 1. Map of COVID-19 activity levels in Canada, by province or territory for the week of
September 8 to September 14, 2024 (Last updated September 24, 2024, 1 pm ET)

Activity Levels

Level 4 - Very HighLevel 3 - HighLevel 2 - Moderate
Level 1 - Low
Level 0 - No Activity Detected
Not available
Trajectory(Compared to previous week)2

Increasing
No Change

N/A

1

Decreasing

N/A

2

2
N/A

3

N/A

3
1
N/A
N/A

COVID-19 activity levels in Canada, by province or territory for the week of September 8
to September 14, 2024 (Last updated September 24, 2024, 1 pm ET)
Province or territory

Overall COVID-19 activity level

Overall change

British Columbia

Not available

Not available

AlbertaModerate Activity (2)No change

Saskatchewan

Not available

Not available

Manitoba

Not available

Not available

OntarioHigh Activity (3)No change

QuebecHigh Activity (3)No changeNewfoundland and Labrador

Moderate Activity (2)No change

New Brunswick

Not available

Not available

Nova Scotia

Not available

Not available

Prince Edward Island

Low Activity (1)Increasing

Yukon

Moderate Activity (2)No change

Northwest Territories

Not available

Not available

Nunavut

Low Activity (1)Decreasinga. COVID-19 activity level assessments are based on data from provincial and territorial partners for the
week of September 8 to September 14, 2024. For more information on public healthrecommendations or risk assessments, please refer to the provincial and territorial websites. Moreinformation on COVID-19 activity levels, how they are calculated, and relevant data caveats, can befound in the Technical Notes.

COVID-19 activity levels are based on data from provincial and territorial (PT) partners. National COVID19 activity levels were developed with PT partners to monitor COVID-19 activity at the national and PT
levels using a standard set of core indicators. Based on these indicators, COVID-19 activity can range
from level 0 (no activity) to level 4 (high activity). They are presented with the overall change (increase,decrease, no change) from the previous week.
Indicators: The overall COVID-19 activity level is assessed based on the following three indicators,
where available:
1. Weekly percent positivity
Weekly number of lab positive tests / Weekly total number of tests x 100.
Note: This indicator is only incorporated into overall assessment if the testing rate is greater than orequal to 100 tests per 100,000 population per week. This indicator is used to provide information
about overall activity level and trajectory.
2. Weekly long term care facility (LTCF) outbreaks per 1,000,000 population
Weekly number of LTCF outbreaks / Total population in jurisdiction x 1,000,000.
Note: This indicator is used to provide information on overall activity level and trajectory.
3. Weekly COVID-19 wastewater trajectory
Trajectory of weekly COVID-19 wastewater viral levels compared to the previous week.
Note: This indicator is used to provide information on overall trajectory only.
Assessment process: The overall COVID-19 activity level is assessed based on the following three
indicators, where available:

Each indicator is assigned a level ranging from ‘no activity detected’ (level 0) to ‘very high activity’(level 4), based on established thresholds (increasing, decreasing, or no change) of a change of 10%
or more compared to the previous week.
Overall activity level is then determined using the average level of the available indicators (rounding
to the nearest whole number).
Overall trajectory, or the direction of change (based on 10% change compared to the previous week),
is calculated based on the mode of the trajectories from available indicators.
Data assessment caveats: The overall COVID-19 activity level is assessed based on the following three
indicators, where available:
This information is based on data from PT partners. For more up to date information and for publichealth recommendations or risk assessments, please refer to PT websites.
Weekly changes in tests performed, and LTCF outbreaks reflect changes in counts between the endof the latest epidemiological week and the end of the previous epidemiological week. Data are
updated on an ongoing basis and are subject to change.
PT testing practices, data sources and reporting to PHAC vary across jurisdictions.
There may be variations in the COVID-19 activity across a jurisdiction. It’s possible that if there areoutbreaks occurring in one area, it may result in a higher level of COVID-19 activity. Weekly activity
level assessments are intended to provide a high-level overview of COVID-19 spread using standard
indicators at the national and PT level. They may not reflect the true extent of geographic spread of
COVID-19.

COVID-19 data products
COVID-19 surveillance
COVID-19 wastewater surveillance dashboard
Interactive data map of COVID-19 cases around the world
Viral respiratory infection data (CNISP (Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program))

COVID-19 vaccination
Reported side effects following vaccination
Number of people vaccinated in Canada
Number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Canada
Vaccines distributed in Canada

COVID-19 and mental health
Mental Illness during the Pandemic: Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health (Cycles 1 and 2)
Map of Canadian mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
Inequalities in the mental health of adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Impacts of COVID-19
Frequency and impact of longer-term symptoms following COVID-19 in Canadian adults
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Canadian Children with Cognitive, Behavioural or Emotional
Disabilities

COVID-19 inequalities
Social inequalities in COVID-19 deaths in Canada

Provincial, territorial and international reporting
For more information, please refer to provincial or territorial COVID-19 webpages:
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
QuebecNewfoundland and Labrador
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Yukon
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
For more information, please refer to international COVID-19 webpages:
World Health Organization
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention

You might also be interested in
COVID-19 wastewater surveillance dashboard
Trend data about the levels of COVID-19 in the wastewater.

COVID-19 vaccination
Number of COVID-19 vaccine doses that have been administed in Canada.
All Health Infobase data products

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COVID-19 epidemiology update: Current situation
Last updated: 2024-09-24

 PDF

Summary of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths across Canada and over time. Older versions of
this report are available on the archived reports page.

Update schedule: We update all sections of this page every Tuesday. This page was last updated on
September 24, 2024, 1 pm ET.

 Change to data reported
As of July 30, 2024, we no longer update COVID-19 case data in the following sections:
Epidemic curve
Cases by age and genderThis is part of our ongoing work to integrate COVID-19 and respiratory virus reporting. It contributes to amore complete picture of respiratory virus activity.
As of June 11, 2024, we no longer present COVID-19 case counts in these sections of this page:
Latest COVID-19 numbers
National and regional trends
Refer to provincial and territorial web pages for regional level information.

National and regional trends
Figure 1. Countof deaths (latest week)

province/territoryof COVID-19,

for the week of September 08 to September 14, 2024

(Last data update September 24, 2024, 1 pm ET)

Canada44

Count of COVID-19 deaths (latest
week)

250 and higher
150 to 249
50 to 149
25 to 49
5 to 24
1 to 4
0
N/A

N/A
N/A

N/A
N/A

on First Nations
reserves

N/A

N/A

2
N/A
N/A

3

39
N/A
N/A
N/A

The count of deaths of COVID-19 for the week of September 08 to September 14, 2024 in Canada was 44.

This information is based on data our provincial and territorial partners published on deaths. For themost up to date data for any province, territory or city, please visit their website. The number ofdeaths reported may differ slightly from those on the provincial and territorial websites as thesewebsites may update historic death counts as new information becomes available.

Prior to April 7, 2022, all COVID-19 related deaths were reported by BC Health Authorities. From April
7, 2022, to April 22, 2023, all deaths occurring within 30 days of a first positive COVID-19 test werereported by BC, regardless of the cause of death. As a result, COVID-19 deaths have been overestimated for BC since April, 2022. On April 23, 2023, BC started reporting all deaths within 30 daysof any positive COVID-19 test. Death data from BC should not be directly compared across timeframes that reflect different definitions.
Prior to September 3, 2023, New Brunswick (NB) reported a COVID-19 death if the attending
physician identified that COVID-19 was a primary or contributing factor in the death of a confirmed
COVID-19 case. As of September 3, 2023, NB changed the COVID-19 death definition to aconfirmed case who was admitted to hospital and whose death occurred during their stay. Death datafrom NB should not be directly compared across time frames that reflect different definitions.
As of April 11, 2022, Nunavut no longer publishes regular COVID-19 updates.
As of June 13, 2022, Northwest Territories no longer publishes regular COVID-19 updates.
As of November 16, 2022, Yukon no longer publishes regular COVID-19 updates.

Areas in Canada with deaths from COVID-19
Total deaths

Deaths (latest week)

Deaths (latest 2 weeks)

Location

Count

Rate*

Count

Rate*

Count

Rate*

British Columbia

7,394

134

0

0.0

0

0.0

Alberta

6,599

141

2

0.0

9

0.2

Saskatchewan

2,066

171

0

0.0

0

0.0

Manitoba

2,571

177

0

0.0

0

0.0

Ontario

18,842

121

3

0.0

9

0.1

Quebec20,504

231

39

0.4

70

0.8

Newfoundland and Labrador

426

79

0

0.0

0

0.0

New Brunswick

1,067

128

0

0.0

0

0.0

Nova Scotia

1,115

105

0

0.0

0

0.0

Prince Edward Island

124

71

0

0.0

0

0.0

Yukon

32

71

0

0.0

0

0.0

Northwest Territories

22

49

0

0.0

0

0.0

Nunavut

7

17

0

0.0

0

0.0

Canada60,769

152

44

0.1

89

0.2

a. * Rate per 100,000 population

Epidemic curve
As of July 30, 2024, 1 pm ET, PHAC has received detailed case report data on 4,562,906 cases.
The shaded area for Figures 2 and 3 represents a period of accumulating data where it is known or expectedthat cases, and severe outcomes have occurred but have not yet been reported nationally. We update thisinformation as it becomes available.
Due to changes in COVID-19 testing policies in many jurisdictions since December 2021, case counts areunder-estimated.

Figure 2a. COVID-19 cases (n=4,562,902) in Canada by date as of July 20, 2024 (total cases)
300,000
280,000
260,000

220,000
200,000
180,000
160,000
140,000
120,000
100,000
80,00060,00040,00020,000018-J29 an-F 20e
11 b-2-A 0
23 pr-M 20
a04 y-2-J 0
15 ul-A 20
26 ug-S 20
07 ep-N 20
19 ov-D 20
30 ec-J 20
13 an-M 21
24 ar-2-A 1
05 pr-J 21
u17 n-2-J 1
28 ul-A 21
u
09 g-2-O 1
20 ct-N 21
01 ov-J 21
12 an-F 22
26 eb-M 22
07 ar-M 22
18 ay-J 22
u30 n-2-J 2
10 ul-S 22e22 p-2-O 2
03 ct-D 22
14 ec-J 22
25 an-F 23e
08 b-2-A 3
20 pr-M 23a
01 y-2-J 3
12 ul-A 23
23 ug-S 23
04 ep-N 23
16 ov-D 23
27 ec-J 23
09 an-M 24
20 ar-2-A 4
01 pr-J 24
u
13 n-2
-J 4
ul
-2
4

Number of reported cases

240,000

DateFigure 2b. COVID-19 deaths (n=38,340) in Canada by date as of July 20, 2024 (total deaths)
1,000
900

700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0

18
-J
29 an-F 20e
11 b-2-A 0
23 pr-M 20
a04 y-2-J 0
15 ul-A 20
26 ug-S 20
07 ep-N 20
19 ov-D 20
30 ec-J 20
13 an-M 21
24 ar-2-A 1
05 pr-J 21
u17 n-2-J 1
28 ul-A 21
u
09 g-2-O 1
20 ct-N 21
01 ov-J 21
12 an-F 22
26 eb-M 22
07 ar-M 22
18 ay-J 22
u30 n-2-J 2
10 ul-S 22e22 p-2-O 2
03 ct-D 22
14 ec-J 22
25 an-F 23e
08 b-2-A 3
20 pr-M 23a
01 y-2-J 3
12 ul-A 23
23 ug-S 23
04 ep-N 23
16 ov-D 23
27 ec-J 23
09 an-M 24
20 ar-2-A 4
01 pr-J 24
u
13 n-2
-J 4
ul
-2
4

Number of reported deaths

800

Date

This figure reflects detailed case information provided to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
by health authorities in the provinces and territories. This data is updated every week. It may change
as we get more information about cases.
The deaths graph includes data from the twelve of Canada’s thirteen provinces and territories thatprovide detailed death information to the public health agency of Canada (PHAC).
The earliest of the following dates were used to determine the week in which a case or death ispresented: Onset date, Specimen Collection Date, Laboratory Testing Date, Date Reported toProvince or Territory, or Date Reported to PHAC.
Due to changes in COVID-19 testing policies in many jurisdictions since December 2021, casecounts are under-estimated.

Cases by age and gender
We have detailed case report data from 4,562,906 cases. We know the age of patients in 99.9% of cases, andboth age and gender in 99.6% of cases.
Of the cases reported in Canada so far, 54.8% were female and 32.7% were between 20 and 39 years old(Figure 3).

Figure 3. Weekly number of COVID-19 casesof July 20, 2024by age group in Canada as

70,0000 to 1160,000

12 to 19
20 to 29
30 to 39
40 to 49
50 to 59
60 to 69

40,00070 to 7980+

30,00020,00010,000

ly
Ju

il
Ap
r

24
20

ct

ob

er

ly
O

Ju

il
Ap
r

23
20

ct

ob

er

ly
O

Date

Ju

il
Ap
r

22
20

ob

er

ly

ct
O

Ju

il
Ap
r

21
20

ob

er

ly
O

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Ju

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0
Ap
r

Number of cases

50,000This figure reflects detailed case information provided to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
by health authorities in the provinces and territories. This data is updated every week. It may change
as we get more information about cases.
The earliest of the following dates were used to determine the week in which a case or death ispresented: Onset date, Specimen Collection Date, Laboratory Testing Date, Date Reported toProvince or Territory, or Date Reported to PHAC.
Due to changes in COVID-19 testing policies in many jurisdictions since December 2021, casecounts are under-estimated.
This figure includes COVID-19 cases hospitalized, admitted to ICU, and deceased for which age
information were available. Therefore, some COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, anddeaths may not be included.
As of March 26, 2024, the Statistics Canada population estimates as of July 1, 2023 are being used
for denominators in rate calculations.

Figure 4a. Age and gender distribution of COVID-19 cases in Canada as of July 20, 2024
(n=4,546,866)
Male
0-11

225,122 (52.3%)

Age group (years)

12-19

205,123 (47.7%)

159,543 (48.1%)

20-29

172,099 (51.9%)25 (0.0%)422,903 (55.9%)

314,225 (42.9%)

40-49

146,776 (50.4%)80+

159,786 (39.1%)

0200,063 (51.2%)
144,219 (49.6%)

200,000

27 (0.0%)

19 (0.0%)

4 (0.0%)248,763 (60.9%)

100,000

32 (0.0%)

313,076 (55.5%)

190,998 (48.8%)

70-79

40 (0.0%)369,961 (57.6%)

250,771 (44.5%)

60-69

48 (0.0%)

417,468 (57.1%)

272,718 (42.4%)

50-59

Other

31 (0.0%)

333,025 (44.1%)

30-39

Female300,000

1 (0.0%)400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

Number (Proportion (%))

Figure 4b. Age and gender distribution of COVID-19 cases hospitalized in Canada as of July20, 2024 (n=297,583)
Male

Other

n= 3,198 (1.1%)

12 to 19

Age group (years)

Femalen= 9,121 (3.1%)

0 to 11n= 11,437 (3.8%)

20 to 29
30 to 39n= 16,938 (5.7%)

40 to 49n= 17,472 (5.9%)
n= 28,288 (9.5%)

50 to 59

n= 46,157 (15.5%)

60 to 69

n= 65,857 (22.1%)

70 to 79

n= 99,115 (33.3%)80+
010,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,000

Number (Proportion (%))

80,00090,000100,000

110,000

Figure 4c. Age and gender distribution of COVID-19 cases admitted to ICU in Canada as ofJuly 20, 2024 (n=37,564)
Male

Other

n= 839 (2.2%)

0 to 11n= 325 (0.9%)

12 to 19

Age group (years)

Femalen= 1,109 (3.0%)

20 to 29n= 2,073 (5.5%)

30 to 39n= 3,325 (8.9%)

40 to 49n= 6,209 (16.5%)

50 to 59

n= 9,290 (24.7%)

60 to 69

n= 9,180 (24.4%)

70 to 79

n= 5,214 (13.9%)

80+
0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

Number (Proportion (%))

Figure 4d. Age and gender distribution of COVID-19 cases deceased in Canada as of July 20,
2024 (n=38,255)

Age group (years)

Male
0 to 11n= 63 (0.2%)

12 to 19n= 24 (0.1%)

20 to 29n= 138 (0.4%)

30 to 39n= 340 (0.9%)

FemaleOthern= 718 (1.9%)

40 to 49n= 1,883 (4.9%)

50 to 59

n= 4,480 (11.7%)

60 to 69

n= 8,471 (22.1%)

70 to 79

n= 22,138 (57.9%)

80+
0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,00012,00014,00016,00018,00020,00022,00024,000

Number (Proportion (%))

This figure reflects detailed case information provided to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
by health authorities in the provinces and territories. This data is updated every week. It may change
as we get more information about cases.
The cases deceased, and cases admitted to ICU graphs include data from the twelve of Canada’s
thirteen provinces and territories that provide detailed death, and ICU information to the public healthagency of Canada (PHAC).

This figure includes COVID-19 cases hospitalized, admitted to ICU, and deceased for which age andgender information were available. Therefore, some COVID-19 hospitalizations, ICU admissions, anddeaths may not be included.

Age and gender distribution of COVID-19 cases in Canada as of July 20, 2024
(n=4,546,866)
Age
group
(years)Number of cases withcase reports(percentage)

Number of malecases
(percentage)

Number of other
Number of female
cases
cases (percentage) (percentage)

0-11

432,407 (9.5%)

225,122 (11.0%)

205,123 (8.2%)

31 (13.7%)

12-19

333,296 (7.3%)

159,543 (7.8%)

172,099 (6.9%)25 (11.0%)

20-29

759,549 (16.7%)

333,025 (16.2%)

422,903 (17.0%)

48 (21.1%)

30-39

734,122 (16.1%)

314,225 (15.3%)

417,468 (16.7%)

40 (17.6%)

40-49

644,463 (14.1%)

272,718 (13.3%)

369,961 (14.8%)

32 (14.1%)

50-59

565,321 (12.4%)

250,771 (12.2%)

313,076 (12.6%)

27 (11.9%)

60-69

391,960 (8.6%)

190,998 (9.3%)

200,063 (8.0%)

19 (8.4%)

70-79

291,481 (6.4%)

146,776 (7.1%)

144,219 (5.8%)

4 (1.8%)80+

409,185 (9.0%)

159,786 (7.8%)

248,763 (10.0%)

1 (0.4%)Age and gender distribution of COVID-19 cases hospitalized in Canada as of July 20,
2024 (n=297,583)
Age
group
(years)Number of cases withcase reports(percentage)

Number of malecases
(percentage)

Number of other
Number of female
cases
cases (percentage) (percentage)

0 to 11

9,121 (3.1%)

5,130 (1.7%)

3,990 (1.3%)

1 (0.0%)

12 to 19

3,198 (1.1%)

1,369 (0.5%)

1,829 (0.6%)

0 (0.0%)20 to 29

11,437 (3.8%)

3,990 (1.3%)

7,446 (2.5%)

1 (0.0%)30 to 39

16,938 (5.7%)

6,507 (2.2%)

10,431 (3.5%)

0 (0.0%)40 to 49

17,472 (5.9%)

9,599 (3.2%)

7,872 (2.6%)

1 (0.0%)50 to 59

28,288 (9.5%)

16,437 (5.5%)

11,851 (4.0%)

0 (0.0%)60 to 69

46,157 (15.5%)

26,486 (8.9%)

19,671 (6.6%)

0 (0.0%)70 to 79

65,857 (22.1%)

36,874 (12.4%)

28,982 (9.7%)

1 (0.0%)80+

99,115 (33.3%)

48,768 (16.4%)

50,347 (16.9%)

0 (0.0%)Age and gender distribution of COVID-19 cases admitted to ICU in Canada as of July 20,
2024 (n=37,564)
Age
group
(years)Number of cases withcase reports(percentage)

Number of malecases
(percentage)

Number of other
Number of female
cases
cases (percentage) (percentage)

0 to 11839 (2.2%)

471 (1.3%)

368 (1.0%)

0 (0.0%)

12 to 19325 (0.9%)172 (0.5%)

153 (0.4%)

0 (0.0%)20 to 29

1,109 (3.0%)

598 (1.6%)

511 (1.4%)

0 (0.0%)30 to 39

2,073 (5.5%)

1,208 (3.2%)

865 (2.3%)

0 (0.0%)40 to 49

3,325 (8.9%)

2,031 (5.4%)

1,294 (3.4%)

0 (0.0%)50 to 59

6,209 (16.5%)

3,985 (10.6%)

2,224 (5.9%)

0 (0.0%)60 to 69

9,290 (24.7%)

5,773 (15.4%)

3,517 (9.4%)

0 (0.0%)70 to 79

9,180 (24.4%)

5,784 (15.4%)

3,396 (9.0%)

0 (0.0%)80+

5,214 (13.9%)

3,087 (8.2%)

2,127 (5.7%)

0 (0.0%)Age and gender distribution of COVID-19 cases deceased in Canada as of July 20, 2024
(n=38,255)
Age
group
(years)Number of cases withcase reports(percentage)

Number of malecases
(percentage)

Number of other
Number of female
cases
cases (percentage) (percentage)

0 to 1163 (0.2%)

31 (0.1%)

32 (0.1%)

0 (0.0%)

12 to 1924 (0.1%)

12 (0.0%)

12 (0.0%)0 (0.0%)20 to 29

138 (0.4%)80 (0.2%)

58 (0.2%)

0 (0.0%)30 to 39340 (0.9%)

212 (0.6%)

128 (0.3%)

0 (0.0%)40 to 49718 (1.9%)443 (1.2%)

275 (0.7%)

0 (0.0%)50 to 59

1,883 (4.9%)

1,133 (3.0%)

750 (2.0%)

0 (0.0%)60 to 69

4,480 (11.7%)

2,779 (7.3%)

1,701 (4.4%)

0 (0.0%)70 to 79

8,471 (22.1%)

5,226 (13.7%)

3,245 (8.5%)

0 (0.0%)80+

22,138 (57.9%)

10,871 (28.4%)

11,267 (29.5%)

0 (0.00%)

You might also be interested in
COVID-19 wastewater surveillance dashboard
Trend data about the levels of COVID-19 in the wastewater.

COVID-19 vaccination
Number of COVID-19 vaccine doses that have been administered in Canada.
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COVID-19 epidemiology update: Testing and variants
Last updated: 2024-09-24

 PDF

Summary of COVID-19 testing and variants of concern across Canada and over time. Older versions of thisreport are available on the archived reports page.

Update schedule: We update all sections of this page every Tuesday. This page was last updated on
September 24, 2024, 1 pm ET.

Testing in Canada
For information on respiratory viruses circulating in Canada, visit:
the respiratory virus detections dashboard
the weekly Fluwatch report
Presenting COVID-19 testing data with other respiratory viruses like flu and RSV allows us to make more
informed decisions. This is part of our ongoing work to integrate COVID-19 and respiratory virus reporting.

Variants in Canada
All viruses change over time, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. These changes
are called mutations and viruses with mutations are called variants. A percentage of all positive COVID-19
PCR test results in Canada undergo whole genome sequencing. Sequencing tells us which variant is involvedin a specific case of COVID-19.

Many variants are being tracked across Canada and around the world. Some variants are classified as:
variant under monitoring (VUM)
is being monitored to assess its mutations and characteristics
variant of interest (VOI)
has mutations or characteristics of interest and is being monitored to see if they pose significant
risk to public healthvariant of concern (VOC)
has mutations and characteristics that are significant to public healthFor detailed definitions, refer to SARS-CoV-2 variants: National definitions, designations, and publichealth actions.

Occasionally, a person may be infected with 2 different variants at the same time. The genetic material
from each variant can mix to form a combined variant, referred to as a recombinant virus. Recombinantviruses inherit the properties of their parents, which can change how the virus behaves. The scientificnames of the variants discussed below that start with “X” are known as recombinant variants (forexample, XBB.1).
Some viruses evolve quickly, making many variants over time. To simplify tracking, variants are grouped
into lineages, which are variants that share recent ancestry. For example, variant BA.1 (also known as
the original Omicron variant) had several offspring lineages such as BA.1.1 and BA.1.1.1.



As of March 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) assigns Greek letters only to VOCs, while
VOIs and VUMs are referred to using established scientific nomenclature systems. There are no
current VOCs in Canada because Omicron has moved to the “de-escalation” category.

A variant is “de-escalated” once it becomes clear that the variant does not pose an elevated risk to the
population or that it is being replaced by newer variants.

Recent variants
This graphic shows the percentage mix of variant lineages detected in Canada through whole genome
sequencing over the last 10 weeks. Each week is represented by a bar. The most dominant lineage in eachweek has the largest block of that week’s bar.
The first 8 weeks of the figure reflect the actual data from the National Genomic Database. The last 2 weeks
reflect the nowcasted estimates. Nowcasting uses statistical models to estimate the current situation basedon earlier trends. It provides estimates for the most recent weeks when the data is still accumulating and istherefore incomplete.
For more detailed information about how nowcasting works, refer to Nowcasting methods.
The numerical values for each lineage are shown in the legend, along with predictive intervals. Predictive
intervals are ranges (for example, 16-19%) that indicate the confidence of each estimate. The narrower therange, the more confident we are that the prediction is accurate.

Figure 1. Weekly variant breakdown Updated: September 24, 2024, 9 am ET
 You can see the numbers for each date by hovering over, tabbing to, or long-pressing any of the bars. To
see a specific variant or variant grouping, click or press return. Repeat to restore the complete graph. Click on
the name of the variant in the legend to reveal or hide any descendants or offshoots.
COVID-19 variants:

Nowcasted
estimates

KP.3
KP.3.1.1*
KP.3*
KP.3.1*
KP.3.2.3*
KP.3.3*JN.1.11
JN.1
Other

Percentage of samples sequenced

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

4
15

,2

02

4
p
Se

08

,2

02

4
p
Se

01

,2

02

4
p
Se

g

25

,2

02

4
02
Au

18
g
Au

11
,
Au

g

04
g
Au

,2

20

02
,2

,2
28
Ju
l

24

4

4
02

4
02
,2
21
Ju
l

Ju
l

14

,2

02

4

0%

Week of sample collection

It takes time to collect, sequence and process viral genomes, so there is often a period of 2 to 3 weeks where data are still
being processed. We use a nowcasting model to estimate the current variant proportions for this period.
* Includes all descendant lineages, unless otherwise specified.
† More data is needed to estimate the growth and proportion of this lineage with more certainty.
Important note: When a new lineage first emerges, its detection levels will be too low to include it in the nowcasting model.
Once it is included, data will still be limited at first and its growth and overall proportion will be estimated with lower confidence.
As data rolls in, the accuracy and precision of the predictions improve and the predictive interval shrinks. During periods of slow
data collection, the overall proportions may be skewed and the predictions may be less accurate. Under such conditions,interpret the model projections with caution.

Weekly variant breakdown
Percentage of COVID-19 cases identified through whole genome sequencing, presented by variant andby week of sample collection.

Table 1. Percentage of COVID-19 cases identified through whole genome sequencing,presented by variant and by week of sample collection

Variant
grouping Variant
KP.3

KP.3.1.1*

KP.3*

KP.3.1*

KP.3.2.3*

KP.3.3*JN.1.11

KP.1.1.3*

KP.2*

KP.2.2KP.2.3*JN.1.11*

JN.1

LB.1*

LB.1.3*

JN.1*

Other
variants

Other

Jul 28,2024(n=1,127)(n=1,176)(n=1,268)(n=1,059)(n=1,179)(n=1,237)(n=1,082)(n=829)Nowcasted
estimates[Confidence
interval]

18.7%

23.6%

33.8%

38.8%

44.7%

51.7%

53.0%

61.6%

67.4%

72.1%

[64.9, 69.4][69.3, 74.3]

2.0% [1.6,1.5% [1.2,

2.6]

2.1]

1.8% [1.5,1.3% [1.0,

2.3]

1.7]

1.4% [1.0,1.0% [0.7,

1.8]

1.4]

3.9% [3.1,3.3% [2.5,

4.7]

4.0]

2.2% [1.7,2.1% [1.4,

3.0]

3.0]

0.7% [0.5,0.6% [0.4,

1.1]

0.9]

1.5% [1.0,1.3% [0.8,

2.0]

1.8]

5.9% [5.0,5.2% [4.2,

7.0]

6.3]

1.0% [0.7,0.8% [0.5,

1.5]

1.3]

3.0% [2.4,2.4% [1.8,

3.7]

3.0]

4.8% [3.8,4.8% [3.6,

6.0]

6.2]

3.5% [2.8,3.0% [2.3,

4.3]

3.8]

0.8% [0.5,0.7% [0.4,

1.3]

1.3]

13.0%

5.7%

10.3%

1.6%

2.5%

2.6%

7.9%

2.9%

11.8%

3.7%

6.8%

1.3%

13.3%

8.7%

7.6%

2.3%

4.2%

2.4%

9.9%

3.2%

9.4%

1.9%

5.9%

0.9%

5.9%

9.8%

4.2%

5.9%

2.3%

5.1%

2.8%

10.1%

2.8%

8.5%

2.6%

5.2%

0.9%

7.0%

6.7%

4.2%

6.7%

3.6%

2.7%

2.3%

8.8%

2.4%

6.0%

4.3%

5.8%

0.8%

* Includes all descendant lineages, unless otherwise designated.

Aug
25,
2024

Sep
01,
2024

Nowcasted
estimates[Confidence
interval]

Jul 21,
2024

6.7%

Aug
18,
2024

Sep 15,2024

Jul 14,
2024

11.2%

Aug
11,
2024

Sep 08,
2024

Aug
04,
2024

5.7%

5.9%

1.8%

5.2%

4.7%

1.9%

2.2%

7.9%

1.9%

6.0%

5.1%

4.7%

2.4%

3.7%

3.3%

2.0%

5.7%

2.2%

0.8%

3.0%

8.8%

1.5%

5.2%

4.4%

6.7%

1.0%

3.6%

2.7%

3.7%

5.9%

2.2%

1.6%

1.4%

7.8%

1.2%

6.5%

6.1%

3.5%

0.8%

2.8%

4.7%

2.4%

6.0%

1.3%

0.7%

1.4%

5.7%

1.9%

3.5%

3.0%

4.2%

0.6%

† The growth rate of this lineage is likely to decrease once more data accumulates.

Contributing laboratories
National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) - supplemental sequencing for all provinces and territories

How Canada sequences SARS-CoV-2 genomes
Canada has a strong viral genomic sequencing program. Public health authorities across the country collectand analyze PCR-based test samples to identify the variant involved in each sample.
Samples are taken and tested from people suspected of having COVID-19. The material from the positive
tests is sent to the laboratory, where the viral genetic material, or ribonucleic acid (RNA), is extracted. A
specimen is prepared and run through a sequencing machine. The sequencing machine identifies thenucleotide bases present in the RNA sequence. This results in strings of letters that are stitched together togive the genetic code of the specimen’s variant. The genetic code of the virus is used to classify and name thevariant.
Viral sequences also shows us which variants are in Canada, how they are spreading, and whether the
genetic changes are impacting public health.

Figure 3. How Canada sequences SARS-CoV-2 genomes

The diagram shows how Canada sequences SARS-CoV-2 genomes in six steps.
Step 1: Specimen collection
Step 2: Transport to laboratory
Step 3: Genetic material
Step 4: Genome sequencing
Step 5: Genomic data
Step 6: Data analysis

You might also be interested in
COVID-19 wastewater surveillance dashboard
Trend data about the levels of COVID-19 in the wastewater.

COVID-19 vaccination
Number of COVID-19 vaccine doses that have been administed in Canada.
All Health Infobase data products

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COVID-19 epidemiology update: Outbreaks
Last updated: 2024-09-24

 PDF

Summary of COVID-19 outbreaks across Canada and over time. Older versions of this report are available
on the archived reports page.

Update schedule: We update this page every 4 weeks on Tuesdays. This page was last updated on
September 24, 2024, 1 pm ET.

 Change to data reported
As of September 24, 2024, we will no longer update COVID-19 outbreak data on this page. This is part ofour ongoing work to integrate COVID-19 and respiratory virus reporting. It contributes to a more complete
picture of respiratory virus activity.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) regularly receives COVID-19 outbreak data from healthauthorities in the provinces and territories. This page summarizes outbreaks in Canada by setting and by size,
and is updated every 4 weeks. Data may change retroactively if there are changes to:provincial or territorial COVID-19 testing strategies
provincial or territorial reporting of outbreaks
data collection methods, oroutbreak management methods

Outbreak definitions vary across the country, but we use a national outbreak definition for all outbreaks.
An outbreak is 2 or more test-confirmed cases of COVID-19 which are epidemiologically linked to a
specific setting or location. It does not include:
households (since household cases may not be declared or managed as an outbreak if the risk oftransmission is contained)
cases that are geographically clustered (such as in a region, city, or town) but not epidemiologicallylinkedcases attributed to community transmission
Test-confirmed cases include positive COVID-19 results from nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) or
rapid antigen tests (RAT).
In December 2021, the highly contagious Omicron variant caused a rapid increase in cases. This surge
affected public health and testing capacity, which led to a change in testing strategies and limited contact
tracing. This made it harder for provinces and territories to link cases. As a result, outbreaks wereundercounted. The provinces and territories still consistently report cases of COVID-19 in high-priority settings.
However, most no longer report cases in community settings, such as schools, recreational facilities andstores.

Acute care: Hospital or similar setting where patients receive short-term treatment for an injury or
severe episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. Acute caresettings include:
hospitals
emergency departments
urgent caretransitional careconvalescent careshort-term inpatient rehabilitation centres
Congregate living includes:
retirement residences
assisted/supportive living
group homes
residential treatment centres
transition centres
shelters
student dormitories
Long-term care facilities include both public and private facilities that provide living
accommodations for people who require full-time supervised care, including professional healthservices, personal care, and other services (meals, laundry, cleaning)

Showing outbreaks data from 2022-01-08 to 2024-09-14.
The shaded area on the far right of Figure 1 and Figure 2 represents a period of accumulating data. This is theperiod of time before the latest outbreaks are reported to PHAC. This delay is a result of the time required to
identify cases and declare outbreaks. We update this figure as more data becomes available.

08
-J
an
12 -22-Feb
19 -22
-M
ar
-2
23
2
-A
pr
2
28
-M 2
ay
02 22
-J
ul
06 -22-Aug
10 -22
-S
ep
-2
15
2
-O
ct
19 -22-Nov
24 -22-Dec
28 -22-Jan
04 -23
-M
ar
-2
08
3
-A
pr
2
13
-M 3
ay
17 -23
-J
un
22 23
-J
ul
26 -23-Aug
30 -23-Sep
04 -23-Nov
09 -23-Dec
13 -23-Jan
17 -24-Feb
23 -24
-M
ar
-2
27
4
-A
pr
24
01
-J
un
06 24
-J
ul
10 -24-Aug
14 -24-S
ep-2
4

Number of outbreaks
08-Jan
12 -22-Feb
19 -22
-M
ar
-2
23
2
-A
pr
2
28
-M 2
ay
02 22
-J
ul
06 -22-Aug
10 -22
-S
ep
-2
15
2
-O
ct
19 -22-Nov
24 -22-Dec
28 -22-Jan
04 -23
-M
ar
-2
08
3
-A
pr
2
13
-M 3
ay
17 -23
-J
un
22 23
-J
ul
26 -23-Aug
30 -23-Sep
04 -23-Nov
09 -23-Dec
13 -23-Jan
17 -24-Feb
23 -24
-M
ar
-2
27
4
-A
pr
24
01
-J
un
06 24
-J
ul
10 -24-Aug
14 -24-S
ep-2
4

Number of outbreaks

Figure 1. Weekly number of outbreaks by setting
1,000

400

350

Acute careCongregate living
Long-term care facility

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

Date outbreak was declared

Figure 2. Weekly number of outbreaks by outbreak size for all settings

2 to 4 cases
5 to 9 cases
10 to 24 cases
25 to 49 cases
50 to 99 cases
100+ cases

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Date outbreak was declared

Between January 2, 2022 and September 14, 2024:

Acute care accounted for 28% of outbreaks.

Congregate living accounted for 35% of outbreaks.
Long-term care facilities accounted for 36% of outbreaks.

Table 1. Summary statistics of COVID-19 outbreak size by setting, all time
Setting

Median case count

Average case countNumber of outbreaks

Acute care

6

9

4,439

Congregate living

9

14

5,579

Long-term care facility

8

12

5,714

Outbreak information is provided to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) by healthauthorities in 8 of the 13 provinces and territories.
This data is updated every 4 weeks. Data may change week-to-week or retroactively if there arechanges to: provincial or territorial reporting of outbreaks, data collection methods, or outbreakmanagement methods.
Table 1 excludes data from the 4-week data accumulation period.
Data is presented from January 2, 2022 onwards. Historical outbreak data from 2021 is still available
on the archived reports page. The most recent report was on July 11, 2023.
As of July 12, 2023, we no longer present data from correctional facilities. Historical outbreak datafrom correctional facilities is still available on the archived reports page. The most recent report wason July 11, 2023.

You might also be interested in
COVID-19 wastewater surveillance dashboard
Trend data about the levels of COVID-19 in the wastewater.

COVID-19 vaccination
Number of COVID-19 vaccine doses that have been administed in Canada.
All Health Infobase data products

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What was wrong?
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Date modified:
2024-09-24