If You Suspect COVID-19, Then ACT
Assess yourself for COVID-19 symptoms
- sore throat
- runny nose
- sneezing
- headache
- new loss of smell or taste
- new or worsening cough
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- temperature 38°C or more
- feeling feverish or chills
- fatigue or weakness
- muscle or body aches
- abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting
- feeling very unwell
Confirm through COVID-19 testing as soon as possible
Talk to your healthcare provider to seek treatment if you are at high risk for severe COVID-19 infection
COVID-19 Resource Hub
Did you know there are medications available to prevent and treat COVID-19? If you are at a high risk for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, it’s important that you access these treatments as soon as possible. We have everything you need to know about COVID-19, including information on symptoms, testing, vaccines, treatments, variants, and post-COVID syndrome available in one place. This includes active links to each province and territory so you can quickly learn your eligibility for vaccines, testing, and medications, as well as the availability of services in your area, no matter whether you have a gastrointestinal condition or not.
The COVID-19 global pandemic was triggered by the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2). The first outbreak was reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, but then rapidly spread throughout the world.1
In Canada, the pandemic was declared in March 2020, leading to federal and provincial public health regulations aimed at limiting the spread of the virus. As of August 8, 2022, Canada has had more than four million reported cases, with 171 million cases worldwide.2 Since vaccination for COVID-19 and the widespread use of home testing kits, many positive cases are not being reported, so the number of cases is likely much higher. The Canadian government reports 43,505 deaths due to COVID-19, with a national average death rate of 114 persons per 100,000.2
As of August 8, 2022,3 the World Health Organization Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard has identified 594,367,247 reported cases and 6,541,016 COVID-19 deaths worldwide. Again, these numbers only represent reported statistics and are changing daily. As a snapshot of the situation in Canada, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Ontario was 10,655 for the week of August 7 to August 13, 2022.2
COVID-19 continues to mutate and create variants of concern, and it is unlikely that this pandemic will be over anytime soon. However, there are tools and resources available to help you access the information and care you need.
Resources
Click the links below to learn more about COVID-19; each page goes in depth about a specific topic.
GI symptoms such as diarrhea, loss of appetite, or nausea can be early warning signs of COVID-19.
Vaccines and other medications that help to prevent catching and spreading COVID-19.
Over time, viruses can change and mutate, leading to variants of the original virus that have different effects on the population.
There are treatments available to help lessen the severity of COVID-19 in those already infected with the virus.
Can nutrition play a role in the prevention and/or treatment of COVID-19? Find out here.
Infographs
Please share this COVID-19 Resource Hub with your Canadian friends and family.
This information is vetted by a number of healthcare experts and updated regularly to remain relevant. However, we cannot guarantee that all external links are current. We thank all of the content contributors who helped develop this page.