CBJ – The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada has now surpassed 10,000. It’s a figure that will continue to increase substantially over the coming days and weeks, even with social distancing procedures in place, according to medical experts.

Quebec is now the hardest hit province, followed by Ontario and British Columbia. The major epicentres are in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver – all large, metropolitan areas where population density is at its highest.

As of now, 127 deaths have been reported with more than 1,500 recovered patients nationwide.

The U.S. confirmed cases have surpassed 250,000 and it’s approaching 1 million cases worldwide. There have been 5,500 deaths in America and more than 52,000 worldwide attributed to the virus.  About 210,000 people have fully recovered, worldwide.

Government and medical offices continue to ask people to self-isolate and invoke social distancing. Some jurisdictions are now fining people who disobey the order.  In Toronto, police have already handed out $750 fines to 17 people for willingly, and knowingly failing to abide by the mandate.

As many as 1.5 million Canadians have filed for unemployment insurance. That number is approaching 7 million in the U.S.

@CanBizJournal