In the first six months of 2022, Quebec recorded more deaths linked to COVID-19 than in all of 2021.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
A total of 3,741 Quebecers succumbed to the consequences of COVID-19 between 1er January and June 28, nearly 1,000 more than on the same date last year. Thus, in six months, the province has recorded nearly 500 more deaths than in 2021.
Several factors explain this striking increase. “The first game-changer was the arrival of the Omicron variant,” says Nathalie Grandvaux, researcher at the Host Response to Viral Infections Research Laboratory at the University of Montreal Hospital Center (CHUM ).
“Omicron has changed the level of transmission. We didn’t see that at all with the previous variants,” she says. Quebec found itself in December with a wave caused by Omicron which continued until the beginning of the year 2022. “All the following variants seemed to be transmitted always faster and faster. It took all the countries of the world by surprise, ”says the specialist.
Draconian rise in cases
In 2021, the province had recorded 642,930 cases. Since the beginning of 2022, almost double (1,088,743) have been registered.
And the 2022 figures reflect only part of the total number, due to limited access to PCR testing.
“In 2021, because the circulating variants were less contagious, we had a lot less people infected”, says the DD Caroline Quach-Thanh, professor at the faculty of microbiology, infectiology and immunology at the University of Montreal. This sharp increase in the number of cases has had an impact on deaths.
Is the Omicron variant therefore more lethal? No, say the experts. “When we look at the percentage of deaths compared to the number of cases, we have a lot less than before”, indicates the DD Quach-Thanh.
Vaccine efficacy and health measures
The sharp increase in deaths can also be explained by a slight decrease in vaccine efficacy caused by the variants. “We are still well protected, but a little less than before. With the number of people infected, that gives us more people who have complications with COVID-19,” explains Ms.me Grandvaux.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Wearing a mask in public transport is no longer required since June 18.
The withdrawal of sanitary measures also had a role to play, believes the specialist.
In 2021, we had all the sanitary measures in place. In 2022, they were withdrawn one after the other. People who remain vulnerable despite vaccination are no longer protected as they were before by health measures.
Nathalie Grandvaux, from the CHUM’s Host Response to Viral Infections Research Laboratory
Indeed, many restrictions were lifted last March. All businesses have been allowed to reopen, while capacity limits and the vaccine passport have been removed. In May, the obligation to wear a mask in all public places, except public transport, ended. That in public transport followed in June.
New cases in the thousands
This upward trend caused by Omicron sub-variants continues in the province. The number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase rapidly in Quebec. The province reported 956 on Monday, but recorded no new deaths.
These new cases bring the daily average to 1,294. The trend is thus up 38% over one week. Remember that the figures probably only reflect a part of the total infections, due to the limited access to PCR screening tests. Moreover, the proportion of PCR screening tests proving positive for COVID-19 remains very high, at 15.7%.
In addition to the cases detected by PCR tests, an average of 1,038 people report each day having obtained a positive result from a rapid test. Self-reported cases, which are not included in daily reported cases, have thus increased by 36% over the past week.
In the absence of new deaths, the daily average calculated over seven days remains at four. The trend is thus stable over a week.
On Monday, Quebec had 1,294 hospitalized patients, including 36 in intensive care.