Health Canada recommends 40 to 45 amplification for the PCR test, suggesting that 98% of daily COVID-19 case reports are false positives

Dear Scott,

Thank you for your correspondence of January 31, 2021, regarding Ct levels on positive COVID-19 testing.

Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is our top priority. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is actively monitoring the situation regarding COVID-19, continuously assessing the risks, and adapting our response accordingly. All Canadians are advised to help by practicing physical distancing, and staying home.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has developed guidance through the federal, provincial and territorial COVID-19 Special Advisory Committee, to support a national approach to testing in Canada and to optimize the use of local resources in protecting the health of Canadians across the country. Each province and territory will determine individually how they implement this guidance, based on regional differences and local context.

Canada has and will continue to test all symptomatic individuals, as part of our evidence-based approach, while considering the evolving science on other testing scenarios. As the science evolves, our approach will keep pace, and policies and protocols will be updated accordingly.

Each laboratory across Canada that performs COVID-19 testing is responsible for setting its own quality standards. The RT-PCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 assays typically use 40 – 45 amplification cycles and this varies depending on platforms, assays being used and jurisdiction.

For more information on how to get tested for COVID-19, please contact your provincial, territorial, or local public health authority, or your primary care provider. Links to provincial and territorial resources for COVID-19 can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/symptoms/provincial-territorial-resources-covid-19.html

Further information on testing for COVID-19 can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/symptoms/testing.html.

As this situation continues to evolve rapidly, Canadians are encouraged to visit the Government of Canada’s website, www.canada.ca/coronavirus, which is updated regularly to provide Canadians with the most up-to-date and credible information on COVID-19.

Thank you for writing.

Stay informed, stay connected:

For the latest and most up-to-date information on the novel coronavirus, visit the Government of Canada’s webpage at www.canada.ca/coronavirus or call the coronavirus information line: 1-833-784-4397. Updates are also available on Twitter and Facebook