Madam Chair, I'm pleased to return to this committee. I appeared before you last April, a mere lifetime ago. Today I am here to respond to your questions related to holding safe elections in our current COVID-19 environment.
There is no doubt that holding elections in the COVID-19 context presents unique challenges. The protection of Canadian voters and communities and the protection of Elections Canada staff and volunteers are key concerns.
To this end, the Public Health Agency of Canada, or PHAC, has been engaging with Elections Canada to support their planning efforts for an election during a pandemic. Guidance, tools and advice based on best current scientific evidence, expert opinion and public health practice have been shared with Elections Canada to assist them in determining what risks and mitigation strategies should be considered at election offices and at polling stations across Canada to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
I will note that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, given the variability of COVID-19 epidemiology across the country. As a result, it is critically important for Elections Canada to be closely engaged with provincial and local public health authorities to ensure that their planning takes into account local regulations and guidance.
To this end, PHAC has also helped to facilitate connections between Elections Canada and our provincial and territorial public health counterparts in order for that provincial and territorial advice and guidance to be incorporated into the federal planning. Working with the provincial and territorial public health authorities across Canada really will be crucial to determining how the national framework for elections can be adapted to the needs of each jurisdiction for safe elections.
We are very fortunate to have Dr. Henry with us today. I'm very anxious to hear of her lived experience with the election and hearing her advice as we go forward.
Sadly, however, COVID-19 continues to have a significant impact on the lives of Canadians. It remains an unparalleled threat to the health and social and economic well-being of Canadians and the global community. At this point in time, there are 26,687 active cases across the country. The latest national-level data indicate daily averages of 2,747 new cases in the week of October 22-28. Close to 75,000 people were tested in the week of October 11-17, with 3.1% of those testing positive.
Outbreaks continue to contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in Canada. These vary in size from just a few cases to large clusters. They occur in a range of settings, including long-term care and assisted living facilities, schools, congregate living settings, industrial work settings and large social gatherings.
The number of people experiencing severe illness continues to increase. Provincial and territorial data indicate that an average of 1,095 people with COVID-19 were being treated in Canadian hospitals each day during the most recent seven-day period for which we have data—October 22-28—including 228 who were in ICU beds.
During the same period, there were unfortunately an average of 29 COVID-19-related deaths reported daily.
Sadly, as hospitalizations and deaths tend to lag behind increased disease activity by one to several weeks, our concern is that we have yet to see the extent of the severe impacts that are associated with the current ongoing increase in COVID-19 disease activity throughout Canada.
Although we are COVID-fatigued, we must continue to sustain our collective efforts to bring the infection rate down to manageable levels. Public health cannot do this alone; it requires sustained effort from each one of us. We must continuously and consistently maintain effective public health practices: stay home if you have symptoms, even mild ones; wash your hands frequently; maintain physical distancing and wear a face mask as appropriate.
I would like to highlight the unprecedented coordination among federal, provincial and territorial governments, which has allowed us to make the progress that we have in the implementation of robust public health and related response measures. We see the results of this work on a daily basis, and the core public health measures have become common features of our everyday lives and everyday conversations.
We continue to communicate daily to Canadians to make sure they have the information they need to protect themselves, to reduce the impact of the pandemic and to help Canadians make informed decisions about safely participating in everyday life, including elections. Dr. Theresa Tam has said that the hard truth is that COVID-19 is still very much with us. We have a long road ahead, so we are asking Canadians not to lose hope, to stay the course and to keep being part of the solution.