Ottawa [Canada], December 20 (ANI/Xinhua): Canada's Covid-19 cases surpassed 500,000, reaching 500,242 on Saturday (local times), with 14,128 deaths, while the vaccine rollout is underway in the country, according to CTV.

The latest 100,000 cases racked up in just 15 days across the country, marking the shortest growth period since the Covid-19 pandemic was declared in March.

It took six months for Canada to register its first 100,000 cases of the novel coronavirus, another four to reach 200,000, less than a month to hit 300,000, and 18 days to hit 400,000.

Earlier on Saturday, Ontario, and Quebec, the country's two most populous provinces hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, each recorded daily case counts beyond 2,000.

It's the fifth consecutive day Ontario exceeded 2,000 new positive tests, with Saturday's count at 2,357.

Five regions in Ontario are scheduled to be in the province's lockdown stage as of Monday.Quebec recorded 2,038 new infections and 44 new deaths related to the novel coronavirus.

At this time, there are 75,695 active cases across the country. Covid-19 is spreading among people of all ages, with high infection rates across all age groups, said the Public Health Agency of Canada on Saturday, adding that infection rates remain highest among those aged 80 years and older who are at highest risk for severe outcomes. (ANI/Xinhua)

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