Descriptive epidemiology of deceased cases of COVID-19 reported during the initial wave of the epidemic in Canada, January 15 to July 9, 2020.

This rapid communication describes deaths among cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Canada by province and territory and by case characteristics. Of the 106,804 cases of COVID-19 reported in Canada as of July 9, 2020, 8,749 resulted in death, which represents a mortality rate of 23.3 per 100,000 population, and a case fatality rate (CFR) of 8.2%. Within Canada, the CFR ranged from 0% to 10.0% by province and territory, with the differences likely reflecting differences in the extent of the epidemic within each jurisdiction, and where and among whom localized outbreaks occurred (e.g. outbreaks in long term care homes, affecting older individuals with multi-morbidities). The CFRs increased with age and with the number of pre-existing medical conditions, and among residents of long term care and seniors' homes. Plans are underway to collect more detailed information on cases, including race and ethnicity, which will add to our understanding of the communities most impacted by COVID-19. Studies of excess mortality, a measure of the number of people who died from any cause as compared with the historical average, will help to clarify the full impact of COVID-19 within Canadian jurisdictions.