Editor’s note: These numbers will continue to be updated as they are confirmed by Global News. Graphics can take up to 10 minutes to update following number changes.

As of April 5, Global News is only reporting lab-confirmed cases for British Columbia and Alberta, where provincial health authorities are including probable and “epidemiologically-linked” cases in their official count.

As of Aug. 14, Global News is counting both lab-confirmed and presumptive cases for Manitoba, which no longer provides a breakdown of its cases. Data prior to Aug. 14 has been corrected.

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National

The latest on September 18 Newly confirmed COVID-19 cases reported by the provinces have brought the national total to 141,000 cases and 9,200 deaths. More than 123,000 people have recovered — about 89 per cent of the remaining confirmed cases. More than 7.6 million people have been tested.

With the exception of British Columbia, the chart below only includes confirmed cases, not presumptive or epidemiologically linked cases. To view all presumptive cases in the country, see Health Canada’s chart here.

Canada has added more than 400 new cases of COVID-19 every day in September, as the once flattened curve has once again started to point in the wrong direction. On Sept. 18, nearly 1,000 newly diagnosed cases were reported — bringing the curve back to levels last seen in late May.

Organizations around the world have warned about the economic impact lockdowns can have – specifically on those already struggling to get by. It’s something Canadian experts are worried about too, telling Global News Friday that the “huge decline in employment is going to push people under the poverty line.”

“The real question is — how much can government programs push back?” said David Macdonald, a senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. government official on infectious diseases, said in an interview with Global News on Sept. 4 that keeping the border between the U.S. and Canada closed could help contain spread of the virus as cases south of the border are still “unacceptably high.”

“If you have an area of the country with very, very low activity, obviously there’s concern about letting people in from countries in which there’s a high rate of infection,” Fauci told Global News’ Jackson Proskow.

Those with milder symptoms are more likely to spread the virus in a community setting, as they may not know they have the disease, explained Dr. Isaac Bogoch. This is why social distancing is important, as you could be unintentionally passing COVID-19 on to others, he said.

“We’ve been hearing about what we need to do for weeks now. It’s been over a week. We know exactly what it is to do to avoid getting this infection. We know how to prevent ourselves from getting this infection. We know how to prevent transmission in community settings,” he said.

Provinces and territories test for coronavirus at very different rates. That’s something to bear in mind as we look at positive test rates: the more you look, the more you find.

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British Columbia

What you need to know B.C. reported an additional 179 cases of COVID-19 on Sept. 18, bringing the total to 7,720 confirmed cases. Forty of those cases are historical, with some dating back to early August.

Three new deaths were reported. The death toll stands at 223, while a total of 5,797 cases have recovered.

A total of 122 additional cases are considered “epidemiologically linked,” meaning they are related to confirmed cases but have not been confirmed by laboratory tests themselves. Seven of those cases were part of the Sept. 18 count.

At least 11 B.C. schools have now reported a COVID-19 case on school grounds, though no cases of transmission have been confirmed.

The province’s teachers’ union has also filed a formal complaint with the B.C. Labour Relations Board taking issue with the NDP government’s back to school plan, which it says is unsafe.

Civil jury trials in British Columbia are being suspended for a year in an effort to help courts remain safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A statement from Attorney General David Eby says they’ve made the changes in consultation with key legal sectors in an effort to find the best way forward during the pandemic.

The suspension starts Sept. 28 and civil jury trials will resume Oct. 4, 2021.

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Alberta

What you need to know Alberta reported 107 new COVID-19 cases on Sept. 18. A total of 16,381 Albertans have fallen ill with the virus.

One new death was reported, bringing the death toll to 255. A total of 14,702 patients have recovered.

Health officials confirmed the first case of COVID-19 believed to have been spread in a school setting on Friday, at a school in Edmonton.

Alberta chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said Friday it’s believed two cases of COVID-19 at Waverley School in Edmonton are linked, and that transmission of the virus happened in the school.

Hinshaw said as the situation of COVID-19 in schools continues to evolve, officials are working hard to speed up testing turnaround time, as well as studying data to help determine who close contacts of cases in schools are, to improve guidance on who has to self-isolate in the event a case is identified.

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Saskatchewan

What you need to know Saskatchewan reported 19 new cases on Sept. 18. The province’s total stands at 1,776 confirmed cases

The province has seen 24 deaths from the virus, yet a total of 1,639 cases have recovered.

A party at a private residence in Saskatoon is the latest coronavirus superspreader event in Saskatchewan, says the province’s chief medical health officer.

According to Dr. Saqib Shahab, 47 people attended the recent party, with 21 cases of COVID-19 now linked to the gathering.

“Things like this can snowball quickly, and that’s what we need to avoid,” Shahab said on Thursday.

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One or two schoolchildren who attended the event are also in self-isolation, Shahab added, with the investigation ongoing.

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Manitoba

What you need to know Manitoba reported 40 new COVID-19 cases on Sept. 18. The province has now seen a total of 1,540 cases, an unknown number of which are considered probable cases.

The province’s death toll stands at 16, while a total of 1,199 people have recovered.

Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said the Prairie Mountain Health region’s threat level will drop to yellow starting Friday as the number of cases in the area have fallen over the last few weeks.

That means public gatherings will be limited to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. Masks are strongly recommended but not required, under the new health orders, according to a release from the province.

“What this shows is something we all know, we know how to deal with this virus,” Roussin said.

“We know what to do to limit our risks, but we know that we need to stick to those fundamentals.”

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Ontario

What you need to know Ontario reported 401 new cases of COVID-19 on Sept. 18, with no new deaths.

The province has seen a total of 46,077 confirmed cases and 2,825 deaths from the virus, although 40,600 individuals have recovered.

On Friday, private gathering limits were reduced to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors in Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa.

The three regions have seen a rise in coronavirus cases and make up the bulk of Ontario’s daily COVID-19 case count in recent weeks. Premier Doug Ford said Friday those restrictions will expand to other areas of the province.

The new limits do not apply to businesses and are only targeting private gatherings. They also do not apply to any region outside of the three hotspots.

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Quebec

What you need to know Quebec announced 297 new confirmed cases on Sept. 18, along with one new death, though officials did not have a date for when that death occurred.

The province has seen 66,653 cases to date with 5,792 deaths, while 58,218 patients have recovered.

Quebec is tightening controls and will enforce public health directives with a sweeping police operation over the weekend as novel coronavirus cases surge in the province.

Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault announced Friday that police officers will be visiting 1,000 bars, restaurants and other establishments with alcohol permits. The police operation, dubbed OSCAR, is to ensure rules are being respected and to prevent a second wave.

“Our police officers will be very visible all over Quebec during the entire weekend,” she said, adding efforts will particularly target the eight regions considered at higher risk, such as Montreal. Those regions could face further restrictions if the uptick isn’t reversed.

Business owners and customers caught violating the rules are subject to stiff fines that go up to $6,000, said Guilbault. The goal is to stop the growing spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

As part of the blitz, police officers can also call on public health and the province’s liquor board to intervene if necessary.

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New Brunswick

What you need to know New Brunswick announced no new cases of COVID-19 on Sept. 18. There have been 194 cases in total, 191 of whom have since recovered.

The province has seen two deaths from the virus.

A release from Premier Blaine Higgs’ office says in order keep New Brunswick safe and slow the spread of the virus, changes to travel restrictions at Quebec border have been made.

Effective Thursday, residents of the Témiscouata Municipal Regional County in Quebec will not be allowed to enter New Brunswick for day trips.

“With the rise of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec, we must be prudent and keep doing our part,” said Higgs in the release.

The release says residents can still cross the border for essential travel and medical reasons such as appointments, or approved work and shared child custody.

According to the province, all previously approved registrations for day trips are no longer valid.

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Nova Scotia

What you need to know Nova Scotia reported no new cases of COVID-19 on Sept. 18.

The total number of cases in the province is 1,086, with 65 deaths and 1,021 recoveries — leaving no active cases.

The province announced Friday it is increasing the number of people allowed to participate in organized physical activities like performing arts and sports.

On Oct. 1, the number of people allowed to participate in an activity without physical distancing will increase to 50 from 10.

“Art and sport are vital to our physical, mental and social well-being. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has put some of these activities on hold,” said Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief of health, in a press release.

The province says this change will allow full team practices and competition to resume for most sports.

For performing arts, this may mean larger rehearsals and performances.

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Prince Edward Island

What you need to know P.E.I. reported no new cases of COVID-19 during its last update on Sept. 15. The provincial total stands at 57 cases, with 56 recoveries.

No deaths have been reported.

Schools reopened for teachers and staff on Sept. 1 and for students on Sept. 8.

Students will be organized into cohorts when possible and limit their exposure to others.

Students will be taught about the importance of physical distancing, and extra teaching and cleaning staff may be hired. Schools are also asked to reduce class sizes as much as possible, reconfigure classrooms and make use of spaces such as libraries and multipurpose rooms.

The province says all staff and students in Grades 7-12 are “strongly recommended” to wear masks when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Students from kindergarten through Grade 6 may wear masks when physical distancing is impossible. Staff interacting with children who have complex medical needs are strongly recommended to wear face shields and gloves.

Parents are asked to take their kids to school whenever possible. To reduce the number of riders on buses, schools may add vehicles and routes or implement walk-to-school programs. It is strongly recommended that all students and drivers wear masks on the bus.

P.E.I. education authorities are revising curricula for this school year to make up for learning gaps caused by lockdown constraints. Schools will stagger schedules to minimize congestion. The provincial school food program will be expanded next year in keeping with public health precautions. Elementary school students will stay in their classrooms for lunch.

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Newfoundland and Labrador

What you need to know Newfoundland and Labrador reported one new case of COVID-19 on Sept. 18.

The province has seen 272 confirmed cases and three deaths, while 267 cases have recovered.

Newfoundland and Labrador has signed on to use the federal government’s new smartphone app that notifies users when they have been in close contact with someone infected with COVID-19.

The COVID Alert app, which is free and voluntary, was launched in Ontario last month and is expected to be available in Saskatchewan in a few weeks.

Provincial Health Minister John Haggie is encouraging residents of Newfoundland and Labrador to download the app, saying it can help slow the spread of the virus.

Haggie said that officials consulted with the province’s information and privacy commissioner to ensure users’ privacy is protected.

The app does not track a user’s movements, nor does it share or collect personal information.

If a person with the app tests positive for COVID-19, they will be asked to enter a one-time key from Public Health, which will alert other app users who may have come in close contact with that person in the last 14 days.

“Launching COVID Alert today for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians means there is an important new tool in the toolbox when it comes to living with COVID-19,” Premier Andrew Furey said in a statement.

“A lot of thought and work has gone into its development, and I’d like to thank everyone for their dedication.”

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Yukon

What you need to know No new cases were reported for the Yukon during the province’s most recent update on Sept. 17.

The territory’s total number of cases stands at 15, all of which have recovered. No deaths have been reported.

More than 3,000 people in the territory have been tested.

Students in many parts of Yukon headed back to class in late August.

All kindergarten to Grade 12 students in Whitehorse are in class, while the Robert Service School in Dawson, and schools in Carmacks and Teslin also began the year.

Schools in other rural communities resumed the following week or in early September.

This is the first time Yukon students have been in classrooms since the COVID-19 pandemic shut schools in March.

Each school has individual operating plans, which include more spacing for students.

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Northwest Territories

What you need to know No new cases have been reported in the Northwest Territories for five months. As of Sept. 18, only five cases have been confirmed, none of them fatal.

All five cases have long since recovered, and over 4,500 people have been tested.

All N.W.T. schools have submitted plans to reopen their doors this fall. The territory says education authorities are taking a flexible approach in their planning to account for a potential second wave of COVID-19 in the fall.

While plans will vary from school to school, the territory will offer in-person instruction whenever possible, while ensuring alternative options are available.

Students in kindergarten through Grade 6 will be in classroom “bubbles,” and won’t have to practise physical distancing within these groups.

For Grades 7 to 9, students are asked to maintain a one-metre distance from each other, and two-metre distance from staff. Grade 10 to 12 students are asked to allow for two metres of distance from their peers and instructors.

Students of all ages may be required to wear masks in situations where physical distance cannot be practised, such as moving through the hallways.

There may be changes to bus schedules, and all riders will be required to wear masks.

More time will be spent learning outside. School hours and schedules may also look different. Students are asked to label personal items and not share.

The territory says schools are preparing to shift between in-person, distance and blended learning at short notice should there become active COVID-19 cases.

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Nunavut

What you need to know Nunavut remains the only Canadian jurisdiction free of COVID-19 as of the province’s most recent update on Sept. 14.

Over 2,500 people have been tested to date.

Three presumptive cases have come back as negative since early July, while a reported case in April turned out to be a false positive.

The territory has released a four-stage plan for reopening schools based on the risk of the novel coronavirus in a community.

There are no reported COVID-19 cases in Nunavut, so all schools are set to reopen this fall with enhanced cleaning and safety precautions.

It is recommended that schools cohort students by class and limit mixing as much as possible. Distance requirements will depend on what stage a community is in, and will primarily be achieved by limiting school attendance.

In most cases, the use of masks is not recommended for children. If there are exceptions, parents will be notified, and masks will be provided.

As it stands, bus schedules are set to resume. Students older than 13 may be required to wear masks.

Group activities will be limited. Students won’t be allowed to share food in lunchrooms.

The territory says schools could go part-time if contact tracing were to identify a possible source of COVID-19. All schools would be closed if community transmission were to take place.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

—With files from Sean Boynton, Kerri Breen, Graeme Benjamin, Brittany Henriques, Kalina Laframboise, Alessia Simona Maratta, Shane Gibson, Aya Al-Hakim, and Hannah Jackson, Simon Little, Shane Gibson, Heide Pearson, Gabby Rodrigues, Ryan Rocca, Travis Dhanraj, Mickey Djuric Global News and the Canadian Press