Canada's daily COVID-19 cases continue decreasing

OTTAWA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Canada reported 1,672 new cases of COVID-19 in the past day, bringing the cumulative total to 1,391,174, including 25,712 deaths, as of Saturday evening, according to CTV.

The country's national-level data showed a continued downward trend in disease activity with an average of 2,339 cases reported daily between May 28 and June 3, down 31 percent compared to the previous week, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada on Saturday.

The data showed that 2,344 people with COVID-19 was being treated in Canadian hospitals each day on average between May 28 and June 3, which was 19 percent fewer than the previous week. This included on average 1,006 people who were being treated in intensive care units, 14 percent fewer than the previous week. Likewise, the latest seven-day average of 34 deaths reported daily was declining, showing a 21 percent decrease compared to the week prior.

"Every week we're getting closer to our initial target of 75 percent of eligible Canadians getting their 1st dose of protection, and 20 percent of those fully vaccinated, summer will be better," Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, tweeted on Saturday.

According to CTV, the figures stood at 60.66 percent and nearly 6 percent, respectively, as of Saturday evening.

"The target of at least 75 percent of eligible Canadians fully vaccinated is needed to protect health system capacity, but it should not be our ultimate goal," she said. "We can do better than that and should keep going and shoot for the stars!"

Tam said full two-dose vaccinations are important in the fight against coronavirus variants of concern that are taking hold in several provinces across the country, especially the Delta strain.