Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday told Canadians exhausted by COVID-19 that the pandemic “really sucks” on the same day the nation’s death toll was reported to have topped 10,000.
With fatigue setting in as the pandemic enters its 10th month, Canada has seen an uptick in people flouting public health rules on social distancing and mask-wearing.
“We’re in an unprecedented global pandemic. That really sucks,” Trudeau told a news conference.
The prime minister acknowledged growing frustration, including over the lockdown of businesses once again amid a second wave of infections.
Figures released by several television news channels revealed Tuesday’s grim milestone, with a case count of 220,670 and a death toll of 10,001.
Most of the deaths are concentrated in the two largest provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
“It’s going to be a tough winter ahead,” Trudeau said, adding that most Halloween trick-or-treating this weekend has been banned and “there may not be the kinds of family gatherings we want to have a Christmas.”
“My six-year-old [Hadrien] asked me a few weeks ago: ‘Dad is COVID-19 forever?’” the prime minister told reporters.
“I mean he’s in grade one, this was supposed to be his big year as a big boy,” Trudeau added.
However, he said that the country would “get through this.”
More than 80 people were fined this week for attending a house party in French-speaking Quebec, while in the central prairie province of Manitoba authorities publicly admonished citizens who ignored pandemic precautions.
Their actions have led to thousands being exposed to COVID-19 at shopping malls, offices and elderly care homes, the authorities said.
One person was singled out for not alerting doctors of their COVID-19 diagnosis ahead of a surgery.
As a result, the entire surgical team had to be placed under quarantine for two weeks, the authorities said.
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