By Canadian Press

The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada

Mar 18, 2021 | 9:33 AM

The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern):

11:25 a.m.

Quebec is reporting 702 new COVID-19 infections and seven more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, none of which occurred in the past 24 hours.

Health officials say hospitalizations dropped by 13 to 519, and 101 people were in intensive care, a decline of six.

The province says it administered 26,225 vaccine doses Wednesday, for a total of 832,469.

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Officials say that figure represents about 9.8 per cent of the population.

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11:20 a.m.

Nova Scotia is reporting its first COVID-19-related death since last August.

Health officials said today the death involved a woman over the age of 80 in the health region that includes Halifax.

Nova Scotia has reported 66 deaths linked to the virus since the onset of the pandemic.

The province is also reporting three new COVID-19 infections today.

Two involve close contacts of previously reported infections, while the other is travel-related.

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11:10 a.m.

Ontario says there are 1,553 new cases of COVID-19 in the province today along with 15 more deaths linked to the virus.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says 404 of those new cases are in Toronto, 294 are in Peel Region and 176 are in York Region.

More than 58,000 vaccine doses were administered in Ontario since the last daily update.

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9:30 a.m.

The military commander handling logistics for Canada’s vaccine distribution program says there will be enough vaccine delivered to give a first dose before Canada Day to every adult who wants one.

Maj. Gen. Dany Fortin says that’s if provinces follow the advice to delay second doses up to four months.

He also cautions that it is dependent on having no production delays again.

Health Canada anticipates a total of 36.5 million doses from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and the AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India by June 30.

There are approximately 31 million Canadians over 16, and no vaccines are approved for anyone younger than 16.

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9:12 a.m.

Canada’s deputy chief public health officer says almost seven per cent of Canadians have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 1.6 per cent have received two doses.

Dr. Howard Njoo says 42 per cent of Canadians over the age of 80, and 12 per cent of those between 70 and 79, are now vaccinated.

He calls it “encouraging news.”

In all, Canada has received 4.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and about 73 per cent have been administered.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2021.

The Canadian Press