Canada surpasses 15,000 deaths related to COVID-19 since start of pandemic

Canada has surpassed 15,000 deaths related to COVID-19.

The grim milestone was reached with the reporting of 37 new deaths in Quebec on Monday.

A total of 15,001 Canadians have now died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began earlier this year, as of the morning of Dec. 28.

Of the 37 new deaths, Quebec health officials say seven took place in the last 24 hours, 27 occurred between Dec. 21 and Dec. 26, and three are from unspecified dates.

In British Columbia’s most recent COVID-19 update – on Dec. 24 – there were 12 additional deaths from the virus.

The news comes after a contagious new strain of the virus was found in two more parts of the country on Sunday.

The variant first seen in the U.K. has now been found in Ottawa, the Vancouver Island area of B.C. and in the Durham Region east of Toronto, where the first two cases were reported on Saturday.

As for the case in the Island Health region, the Ministry of Health says an individual residing in the health authority tested positive for the new variant of COVID-19 on Dec. 19 after returning from the United Kingdom a few days earlier.

“It is important to note there is no evidence that the new COVID-19 variant is more likely to cause severe illness, nor is there evidence to suggest the Health Canada-approved vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement released on Dec. 27.

The individual was onboard Air Canada flight AC 855 — which arrived at Vancouver International Airport from London on Dec. 15 — and developed symptoms while in quarantine.

With files to the Canadian Press.

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