A woman wearing a face mask arrives at the COVID-19 assessment center of a hospital in Toronto, Canada, July 20, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)

 
Canada's COVID-19 cases surpassed the 350,000 level on Thursday afternoon as the country confirmed a total of 351,133 COVID-19 cases and 11,776 deaths, according to CTV.

The cumulative number is high and many areas are experiencing rapid growth and these cumulative numbers show the overall burden of COVID-19 illness to date, said Canadian Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam in a statement on Thursday.

"This is why it is important for everyone to continue with individual precautions to protect ourselves, our families and our communities," said Tam.

The latest national-level data indicated daily averages of 5,194 new cases over the past seven days and 75,666 people tested daily, with 7.6 percent testing positive.

Ontario released new COVID-19 modelling on Thursday, the first time it has released such data since sending Toronto and Peel Region in the province into lockdown on Monday.

Ontario reported 1,478 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.

The modelling suggests that if COVID-19 cases grow at a rate of three percent, the most populous Canadian province with a population of nearly 15 million will record more than 4,000 cases per day by Dec. 30.

If cases grow at a rate of five percent, it could see more than 9,000 cases per day by that date.

COVID-19 cases in Ontario have been growing at a rate on average of 0.45 percent over the past 14 days.

The province's modelling also shows that cases in long-term care are flattening, but cumulative mortality has increased, with 64 deaths in the last week alone.

Meanwhile, the Quebec government said if the number of COVID-19 cases rises too much between now and Christmas, holiday gatherings will not be allowed in the province. Enditem