How Coronavirus Spread in Canada

CBC / Radio-Canada has published a story map which compares the latest surge of Covid-19 cases in Canada with the first wave of the pandemic earlier this year.

At the heart of Two Parts of a Pandemic: How the Coronavirus Spread in Canada is a 3D interactive map visualizing the number of coronavirus cases across Canada during the two periods of the year which saw dramatic surges. On top of this 3D map case 'spikes' show the number of Covid-19 cases in each of the country's health regions. The higher a region's spikes then the more Covid-19 cases (per 100,000 people) were recorded in the region. 

As you progress through CBC's story the map rotates and zooms to show regions which experienced dramatic surges during the first and second waves. CBC defines the first wave as happening from March 11 to July 28 and the second wave as occurring from July 29 to December 15. Using the map CBC shows how during the first wave coronavirus spread rapidly through central Canada. However west of Ontario regions managed to avoid the worst of the first wave of the pandemic. 

Unfortunately many of these health regions west of Ontario suffered a high number of cases during the second wave. In the east the 'Atlantic bubble' also largely avoided a pandemic in the Spring. This area was also unable to avoid the pandemic during the second wave. However, although in the whole of Canada the second wave saw three times as many Canadians testing positive as in the first wave, knowledge about the virus and improvements in patient care ensured that only half as many Canadians died during the second wave as died during the Spring wave.