COVID-19 cases in Canada surge to 1,472 death toll hits 21

The number of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in Canada rose to 1,472 by the end of Sunday, an increase of 141 over the previous 24 hours.

And the country's death toll from the new coronavirus rose to 21.

As the pandemic continues to surge globally, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee issued joint statements Sunday evening saying they refuse to send their teams to Tokyo unless their respective Games are pushed back, and are advocating for a year.

Meanwhile, the federal government's 30-million-dollar multi-media ad campaign to advise Canadians about how to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 begins today.

The ads, two in English and two in French, feature Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, once again urging Canadians to keep their distance from one another and to practice good personal hygiene.

Tomorrow, Parliament will resume so the House of Commons can debate and pass emergency legislation to help Canadians cope with the COVID-19 crisis. Proposals would, among other things, allow the government to make changes to employment insurance benefits as well as extend support to people who don't qualify for EI. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also promised more financial aid in the coming days and weeks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2020.