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Dec 10, 2021 8:18 PM - The Canadian Press

COVID-19 resurgence forecast for Canada, worse if Omicron replaces Delta: Dr. Tam

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Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam listens to a question during a news conference, in Ottawa, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. Tam says COVID-19 resurgence is forecast for Canada and could be further accelerated if the Omicron variant replaces Delta. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Canada's chief public health officer says a resurgence of COVID-19 is forecast for Canada, and it could speed up even more if the Omicron variant replaces Delta. Doctor Theresa Tam says there have been 87 confirmed cases of Omicron in Canada so far.

New federal modelling shows that if Omicron does not predominate over Delta, Canada could see between 2,900 and 15,000 daily cases by mid-January.

Dr. Tam says if Omicron becomes dominant, Canada could see 26,000 daily cases by then.

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Canada could see up to 15,000 COVID-19 cases per day by mid-January if Delta remains the predominant strain.

But if Omicron takes over, and if it proves to be three times more transmissible than Delta, we could see 26,600 daily cases by then.

Dr. Tam is urging everyone to exercise a high degree of caution over the holidays.

Tam says there are 87 confirmed cases of Omicron in the country so far.

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