Cases, deaths and hospitalizations: Comparing Canada's two years of COVID-19

As Canadians celebrate their second holiday season amid the COVID-19 outbreak, CTVNews.ca is taking a look back at how the pandemic has progressed.

CTVNews.ca looked at COVID-19 pandemic data released by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) back in December 2020, and compared it with recent figures, to see where the country stands when it comes to infections, deaths, hospitalizations and vaccinations.

Here’s a look at how the two years of the pandemic compare.

CASES

By Dec. 23, 2020, there were a total of 528,353 confirmed COVID-19 infections across the country, according to PHAC data.

In comparison, by Dec. 23, of this year, there were a total of 1,945,753 cases of the novel coronavirus, meaning more than 1.4 million cases were reported in the span of a year.

A total of 20,693 new COVID-19 infections were detected on Dec. 23, 2021, with 87,227 cases reported over the previous seven days in Canada.

The case rate of COVID-19 in Canada was 5,087 per 100,000 population as of Dec. 23, 2021.

As of Dec. 21 2021, the moving seven day average of per cent positivity of COVID-19 in Canada was 8.5.

By Dec. 23, 2020, a total of 521,509 COVID-19 cases had been detected across the country.

A total of 7,379 new cases were reported on Dec. 23, 2020. The seven-day average for that week was 6,769.

DEATHS

The first COVID-19 related death was reported in early March of 2020. Between March 8, 2020 and Dec. 23, 2020, there were a total of 14,642 COVID-19 related fatalities reported, according to the PHAC data.

In comparison, this year, the PHAC data shows that between Jan. 1, 2021 and Dec, 23, 2021, a total of 14,344 people died after contracting the disease

The most recent PHAC data shows that on Dec. 23, 2021 there were eighteen new COVID-19 related deaths.

What’s more, a total of 236 fatalities had been reported in the last 14 days in Canada, as of Dec. 28, 2021.

As of Dec. 23, 2021, there were a total of 30,131 COVID-19 related deaths in the country, since the pandemic began.

The majority of COVID-19 related fatalities in Canada over the course of the pandemic have occurred among those 80 years of age and older.

VACCINATIONS

By Dec. 26, 2020, 46,156 people in Canada had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the PHAC data.

Canada, lacking domestic vaccine manufacturing capabilities, has relied solely on vaccines from outside of its borders.

The first COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech was green-lit for use in early December, but doses didn’t arrive in Canada until Dec. 13, 2020.

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In December 2020, the first doses that landed in Canada were administered to those at the highest at risk of severe illness from COVID-19, including the elderly, those living in long-term care homes and the immunocompromised.

A year later, 81.79 per cent of the country’s total population have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The latest data released by PHAC on Dec. 23, 2021 shows that as of Dec. 18, 2021, a total of 31,280,780 people had received at least one shot.

What’s more, 76.49 per cent, or 29,253,025 people were fully vaccinated as of Dec. 18, 2021.

Vaccination efforts are continuing across the country, as health officials work to administer third doses to boost the public’s immunity as the new Omicron variant spreads.

HOSPITALIZATIONS

The data released by PHAC says that on Dec. 23, 2020, a total of 2,888 people were hospitalized across Canada with COVID-19.

Of those people, 699 were in an intensive care unit, while 364 individuals were on a ventilator.

The most recent available data from PHAC says that between Dec. 13 2021, and Dec. 20, 2021, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 increased from 1,085 to 1,201.

The numbers of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units and on ventilators also increased from 451 to 468, and 229 to 242, respectively. 

Charts by CTVNews.ca's Deena Zaidi