A healthcare worker dons a bouffant cap as staff treat patients suffering from coronavirus disease at Humber River Hospital's Intensive Care Unit, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on April 29, 2021. (COLE BURSTON / AFP)

OTTAWA – The Public Health Agency of Canada on Friday confirmed 25,204 new COVID-19 cases for the week of July 31 to Aug 6.

According to the weekly update issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada, the number of total COVID-19 cases and deaths in Canada reached 4,109,931 and 43,178 respectively

According to the weekly update issued by the PHAC, the number of total COVID-19 cases and deaths in Canada reached 4,109,931 and 43,178 respectively. The daily positive rate during the week averaged at 12.4 percent, and daily tests per 100,000 people were 69.

The agency said that among the detailed case report data on 4,007,160 cases, 186,563 cases, or 4.7 percent, were hospitalized, of whom 29,074, or 15.6 percent, were admitted to the intensive care units.

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People who were diagnosed with COVID-19 after completing their primary vaccine series were significantly less likely to be hospitalized or to die, particularly if they received an additional dose(s), the agency said.

According to the agency, between June 6 and July 3 this year, unvaccinated cases were three times more likely to be hospitalized and four times more likely to die from their illness, compared to cases with a completed primary vaccine series.

During the same four-week period, unvaccinated cases were five times more likely to be hospitalized and five times more likely to die from their illness, compared to cases with a completed primary vaccine series and one or more additional doses.

COVID-19 modelling studies published recently in the Canada Communicable Disease Report showed that without Canadians' collective efforts in achieving high vaccine coverage and adhering to public health measures, Canada could have experienced an estimated up to 34 million cases, 2 million hospitalisations and 800,000 deaths as of April 2022, the PHAC said.

Carnival Corp 

Carnival Corp's major cruise lines will drop mandatory COVID-19 testing for vaccinated guests and allow unvaccinated passengers to travel without an exemption in some cases, the company said on Friday.

The decision affects Carnival Cruise, Princess Cruises and Cunard and follows a similar move by rival Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd earlier this week.

Unvaccinated guests – who still have to present a negative COVID-19 result – no longer need to apply for an exemption except for Carnival Cruise's sailings in Australia or on its voyages 16 nights and longer.

The cruise industry has in recent months bounced back from an over one-year-long pause in sailings due to the COVID-19 crisis, but rising inflation and labor constraints pose risks to its outlook.