Average of 5,700 COVID-19 cases reported over the past seven days as Canada crosses grim milestone of 25,000 deaths

Canada's chief public health officer says COVID-19 disease activity continues to decline but there are areas of the country experiencing very high infection rates.

Dr. Theresa Tam says over the past seven days, an average of 5,700 cases were reported daily and 3,600 people were treated in hospital each day, including over 1,300 in intensive care.

She says there were an average of 43 deaths reported daily.

But nevertheless, she says Canada is making steady progress with a 25 per cent decrease in reported active cases since the peak of the third wave in April.

Canada crosses grim milestone on 25,000 COVID-19 deaths

Ontario has reported 17 new COVID-19 fatalities.

This brings the country's death toll to 25,000.

The first person died of COVID-19 in Canada on March 9, 2020.

Canada surpassed 20,000 deaths at the end of January.