Canada passed the 600,000 coronavirus case milestone on Sunday, two weeks after surpassing half a million cases, testifying to the persistence of the pandemic in the country during the holiday season.
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As of Sunday afternoon, Canada had 601,314 contaminations since the start of the pandemic and 15,860 deaths, according to figures from the provinces and territories reported by the public television channel CBC.
Ontario, the most populous province in Canada, recorded on Sunday 2,964 cases in the last 24 hours and Quebec 2869, a new daily record for the French-speaking province which has the heaviest death toll.
The new deaths recorded on Sunday bring the number of deaths in Ontario to 4,650 and to 8,347 in Quebec.
Canada, with a population of some 38 million, went from 500,000 to 600,000 cases in 15 days, when it had not reached the 100,000 threshold until mid-June, three months after the start of the epidemic on its soil.
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Some provinces, including Ontario and Quebec, have imposed lockdowns in several regions during the holiday season.
Responding to concerns expressed in the country over travel to sunny destinations despite official recommendations, the government announced last week that it would require a negative test for any traveler arriving in Canada.
Canadian authorities strongly advise against non-essential travel abroad to avoid the spread of the disease, a recommendation ignored by some elected officials.
A vacation in the Caribbean has cost his job to the Minister of Finance of the Province of Ontario, Rod Phillips, who had to resign due to the controversy over his trip.
Over the past few days, more than half a dozen parliamentarians and politicians have admitted to spending time abroad during the holiday season and some have apologized.
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