Health Canada said over 1.7-million Canadians have been tested for COVID-19 to date with about 5% testing positive.
The agency’s head said over the past week, the country has been testing an average of close to 29,000 people daily.
Dr. Theresa Tam took a moment to shine a light on how COVID-19 comes with additional challenges for some people more than others, including people with disabilities. In her daily update, Tam said people with disabilities or underlying medical conditions are at a greater risk of serious complications related to COVID-19. She said in addition to the risk of the virus, those groups face challenges when accessing information, social services, transportation, and even health care at times.
Tam marked National Accessibility Week, noting this is a time to promote accessibility and inclusion and to celebrate the many contributions of Canadians with disabilities. She said the federal government has been working hard to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are considered. That’s being done by engaging with national disability organizations as well as other experts and stakeholders.
She ended her update thanking all the sign language interpreters who have been in the daily briefings every step of the way.
“From their work, officials are able to convey important information to Canada’s deaf community.”