Canadian ministers and government officials are expected to provide an update Wednesday on the country's ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canada added 6,442 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, pushing the country’s total number of infections to 565,054. Health officials also said 156 more people have died after testing positive for COVID-19.

The new cases come as doses of the second coronavirus vaccine made by American biotechnology company Moderna continue to be delivered and administered across the country.

On Tuesday, Quebec also announced its first case of the new COVID-19 variant, first identified in the U.K.

The new variant — which has already been detected elsewhere in the country — is believed to be more transmissible than the initial strain, however, it is not believed to have an effect on the severity of the illness caused by the virus, or the efficacy of the vaccine.

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