The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern):
1:50 p.m.
Nova Scotia is reporting two new cases of COVID-19 today.
Health officials say one case is in the region including Halifax and involves a close contact of a previously reported infection. They say the other case is in the western part of the province and related to travel outside Atlantic Canada.
Nova Scotia has 15 active reported cases of the disease.
The province says it had administered more than 52,000 COVID-19 vaccines as of Tuesday, more than 17,000 of which were booster shots.
—
1:35 p.m.
Manitoba is reporting no new COVID-19 deaths and 96 new cases.
Three cases from unspecified dates have been removed due to data correction, for a net increase of 93.
Health officials have also confirmed nine cases of the B.1.1.7 variant first identified in the United Kingdom.
—
12:45 p.m.
The Manitoba government has reduced the minimum age for COVID-19 vaccines by two years — to 53 and up for First Nations people and 73 and up for others.
Those numbers do not include younger age groups with underlying health conditions that are already eligible for vaccination.
The government has also launched a new web page so that people can book appointments online, in addition to the existing telephone call centre.
—
11:15 a.m.
Quebec is reporting 703 new cases of COVID-19 today and 13 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.
Health officials are also reporting a sharp rise in the number intensive care patients, up 16 compared with the prior day, for a total of 107. Total hospitalizations dropped by one, to 532.
The province says it administered 28,812 doses of vaccine yesterday, for a total of 804,806.
Quebec has reported 299,450 COVID-19 infections and 10,570 deaths linked to the virus; it has 6,833 active reported cases.
—
10:30 a.m.
Ontario is reporting 1,508 new cases of COVID-19 today.
The province says 14 more people have died from the virus.
Today’s numbers are based on 49,128 tests.
More than 58,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered since yesterday’s update.
—
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2021.
The Canadian Press
