Justin Trudeau warns that Canada is in the second wave of covid-19

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(CNN) -

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared on Wednesday that a second wave of coronavirus is already underway in most of his country.

"We are on the brink of a fall that could be much worse than spring," Trudeau said during a rare address to the nation.

“I know this is not the news that none of us wanted to hear and we cannot change today's numbers or even tomorrow's.

Those were already decided by what we did or didn't do 2 weeks ago.

“It is too likely that we won't meet for Thanksgiving, but we still have a chance at Christmas.

Together we have the power to control this second wave, ”he told the Canadians Trudeau, adding that they have the ability to flatten the pandemic curve once again.

Thanksgiving in Canada is October 12.

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Covid-19 cases tripled, in the second wave

The exponential growth of new cases is now a matter of great concern to public health officials trying to avoid a second lockdown.

The Public Health Agency of Canada reported that cases almost tripled in the last five weeks, with those under 40 years of age contributing the majority of infections.

"Canada is at a crossroads with the trajectory of the COVID-19 epidemic," Public Health Director Dr. Theresa Tam said in a statement Wednesday.

"Unless public health and individual protection measures are strengthened and we work together to stop the spread of the virus, the situation is on track for a major resurgence in several provinces."

The health agency reported Thursday that the national daily case count continues to rise, with an average of 1,144 cases reported daily for the past seven days.

That average was just 380 in mid-August.

Dr. Tam emphasized that Canadians can still prevent a rapid resurgence of the virus.

“As I said, local public health authorities cannot do this alone, individual actions to prevent exposure and limit the number of close contacts are essential.

This is not simply a question of resources, it is a reality of the current level of accelerated growth, "he said in a statement.

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"This is no time for austerity"

The Trudeau government and several provincial leaders have indicated that specific restrictions may be necessary, but fear that a second lockdown could jeopardize a fragile economic recovery.

Earlier Wednesday, Trudeau delivered his Speech from the Throne, designed to set his priorities for the next parliamentary session.

The prime minister outlined a response to a pandemic with the mantra: "This is not the time for austerity."

Trudeau promised to create one million jobs for Canadians through a combination of programs that include wage subsidies, skills retraining and incentives for companies to hire new employees, especially in sectors focused on the environment.

Additionally, Trudeau said it will continue to provide income support for the unemployed, including making it easier to qualify for unemployment and a new benefit for those who do not qualify.

He also promised to help provinces now facing challenges with testing, long-term medical care for the elderly and school reopens.

Canada has reported more than 150,000 covid-19 cases with 9,295 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins global tracker.

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