COVID-19 is the cause of four additional deaths in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, where the situation remains critical in hospitals, according to the most recent report released on Monday.
Last Friday, 82 infected patients occupied beds, compared to 79 on Monday, but the number of patients admitted to intensive care has climbed.
VAT News learned that after Chicoutimi, healthcare professionals in the Alma sector were also warned that they would be deprived of their vacation or leave.
The opening of a new hot zone at the Alma hospital would force the regional health authorities to use the restrictive measures provided for in the ministerial orders.
The number of new cases would also be decreasing if we add the results of the tests obtained in the laboratory and those carried out at home.
“We had days last week when up to 280 people contacted us to tell us that they were positive, while at the end of the week, we were more between 100 and 140, indicated the regional director of the public health, Dr. Donald Aubin. It may be because people declare themselves less, but one thing is certain, we are not facing a sharp increase at the moment.
Despite several encouraging indicators, the regional director of public health is however reluctant to confirm that the peak of the fifth wave has been reached in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.
“We have to wait a few more days to see how it affects our beds,” he said. If we see that our occupied beds are falling, it is clear that this will mean that we have less COVID. I also think people understand the importance of vaccination and that gives us a chance.”
Already 43% of the citizens of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean have received their third dose, while the provincial average is 37%. “If we add to that all the people who have already made their appointment, that puts us at 65%,” said Dr. Aubin.
More than 33,000 doses will be administered this week in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.