Got it. I'm sorry.
After that somewhat ineloquent beginning, thank you so much, Mr. Chair, for the opportunity to speak at this historic first sitting of virtual Parliament. It is always an honour to occupy a seat in this House, and it is a special honour to represent the residents of Thunder Bay—Superior North on this historic day in our country.
Of course, this new way of pursuing our democratic process of governing Canada is precipitated by the crisis of a global pandemic the likes of which our world has not seen in over 100 years. Despite the work Canada has done to prepare for outbreaks and epidemics, the scope of COVID-19 has left no country untouched. Sadly, this epidemic has claimed thousands of lives worldwide, and Canada has not been immune. My heart goes out to all of the loved ones of those whose lives we have lost here in our country and around the world.
To date, in Canada we have managed to protect our health care systems and avoid the kinds of surges that have led to even greater loss of life in other countries. There are many factors that have contributed to our current and, I would say, cautious progress on limiting the spread here in Canada. We have a public health care system that's accessible to all Canadians, strong local public health units and a culture of innovation and courage that has led to many Canadians and Canadian companies stepping up to fill gaps as they see them.
For more than a month, public health officials across the country have been asking Canadians to stay home and stay safe, and we're starting to see encouraging signs that our collective work and courage are indeed flattening the curve. Canadians are taking responsibility for their health and the health of others by practising physical and social distancing, by frequent handwashing and by isolating themselves if they are sick or have travelled.
I know I join all Canadians in offering a heartfelt thank you to all front-line health care workers: nurses and doctors, personal support workers, lab workers, cleaning personnel and support staff of all varieties. Our health care workers are front and centre in this pandemic. They are taking care of patients affected by COVID-19. They are taking care of senior citizens and other populations at a high risk of contracting COVID-19. It is hard and emotional work. There is a burden of trauma in work of such intensity, suffering and loneliness. I speak for all of us when I say that we owe them a huge debt of gratitude.
Together, all workers, all employers and all Canadians who are adjusting to this new and difficult way of adapting are slowing the spread of COVID-19 in Canada. We are protecting our health care systems, and we are undoubtedly saving lives together.
We are seeing hopeful evidence that Canada's COVID-19 epidemic is slowing down. For example, in late March we saw case numbers doubling every three days. More recently, the doubling time of cases has slowed to more than 16 days. At the same time, however, we continue to see a rise in cases, driven largely by outbreaks in long-term care and seniors homes, where older, medically vulnerable adults live. In fact, outbreaks in these institutions are responsible for more than three-quarters of all the deaths in Canada. This is indeed a tragedy, and it is one of the reasons we cannot let go or we could lose the progress we have made. We remain in a critical period, and we must stay focused and vigilant if we are to succeed in containing the spread of COVID-19. Our current public health measures remain essential to controlling Canada's COVID-19 epidemic.
The Government of Canada will continue to work with provincial, territorial and international partners to base our response to the epidemic on the latest science. We analyze data and clinical and epidemiological studies to determine where public health measures are working and where we may need or want to adjust our approaches. We are also collaborating with provincial and territorial governments and universities to forecast the possible future spread of COVID-19 in Canada. This will help us to continue to estimate a range of possible numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths that may occur in the coming weeks and months—critical information to continue to protect our health care systems and protect lives in Canada.
Today, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, is presenting an update to our national modelling. As you know, models cannot predict what will happen, but they can help us understand what might happen, and that can help us plan and take actions to achieve the best possible outcome. They also help us identify what combinations of public health measures are more likely to reinforce epidemic control.
I know that these are very difficult times for all Canadians. Over the past several weeks, I've been struck not only by Canadians' resilience but also by the great acts of kindness we are seeing across the country. I think of business owners who are lending RVs to front-line workers, and hotels that are opening their doors for free to health care professionals, so that they can get rest without risking infection to their families. I think of restaurant owners who are distributing meals to the elderly and to health care workers on the front line. There are so many stories and so many acts of kindness. Canadians are finding many different ways all across the country to support each other virtually and practically. My heart goes out to the people of Nova Scotia, many of whom came together virtually last Friday in a vigil to support one another in memory of the victims of the recent shootings.
There's a question on everyone's mind: How long will this last? Public health officials and experts project that the current wave of the epidemic here in Canada could last until the summer, followed by outbreaks that we will need to rapidly control over time. However, there is still so much that we don't know about the virus.
What I do know for certain is that the duration and severity of COVID-19 here in Canada depends on all of us, on our individual actions and how rigorously we follow public health directives. Containing the spread of the virus and keeping the number of deaths as low as possible will take continued collective and determined effort. As Dr. Tam said yesterday, the effort of getting through this will be like a marathon. We have to plan carefully and we have to pace ourselves. The decisions that we make now will determine critical outcomes across the country in the weeks and months to come.
Mr. Chair, let me conclude by thanking all parliamentarians for their work and ongoing support during this time. I also thank all of the hard-working staff and experts who have allowed us to convene in this new and unique way. I am confident that we will emerge from the pandemic stronger and more united as a country.