Ottawa, Jun 5 (IANS): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned on Thursday that the COVID-19 pandemic remains serious in Canada.

The rise in infections has slowed across all age groups and in most regions of the country, but Trudeau said the situation remains serious in some regions where large numbers of new cases are still being reported, as well as in places like long-term care homes, Xinhua reported.

"I want to be very clear. We're not out of the woods. The pandemic is still threatening the health and safety of Canadians," Trudeau said at a press conference on Thursday.

"While we start loosening some restrictions, we also have to strengthen other measure... And as people head back to work, it's even more important that we keep a two-meter distance from others, wash our hands, and wear a mask when physical distancing is not always possible," Trudeau added.

Meanwhile, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam warned that Canada could see "explosive growth" in new COVID-19 cases if reopening is not done with caution.

According to new short-term federal model released by Health Canada on Thursday, as of June 15, the country could see between 97,990 and 107,454 cases, and between 7,700 and 9,400 deaths.

"These models all tell us that if we relax too much, or too soon, the epidemic will most likely rebound with explosive growth as a distinct possibility," Tam said.

As of Thursday afternoon, according to CTV News, Canada reported 93,700 cases of COVID-19, with 7,636 deaths and 51,685 recoveries.