Ottawa - Canada's chief public health official warned on Friday that the country is going through a transitional phase of the pandemic and may experience further waves of COVID-19 cases this year.

Dr. Theresa Tam said, "We expect the rise curve will not be linear, and there are likely to be more surges on our way, including a resurgence of cases this spring, and possibly also in the fall and winter."

Tam said during a press briefing that COVID-19 is still widely spreading and there is still a risk of resurgence.

Tam advised Canadians to continue wearing masks and ensure vaccinations are up to date due to the risks of rising cases and in light of reduced public health measures.

She said that Canada is observing a steady increase in the BA.2 variant of COVID-19, and ongoing genetic surveillance will remain crucial to monitor variants of concern.

Tam said that monitoring wastewater trends can also be a useful tool for tracking COVID-19 transmission in communities.

The increase in personal activities in communities, the presence of the BA.2 variant, and waning immunity may have played a role in increasing transmission.

Tam said that as of Thursday, the average daily number of cases nationally rose by 28 percent, indicating that a resurgence is underway.

Tam said that a rise in hospital admissions can therefore be seen in the country, noting that these trends may differ by region.

But she added that Canadians are now in a better position to live with the virus, and the overall impact on the healthcare system may be more manageable and controllable, due to increased immunity among the population from vaccinations as well as from recently acquired infections.