The rise in COVID-19 cases continues in Quebec. The province reported 1,367 new infections, two more deaths and another increase in hospitalizations on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the vaccination campaign seems to be gaining momentum, however.
These 1,367 new cases bring the daily average calculated over seven days to 1,294. The trend is thus up 35% over one week. The two additional deaths bring the daily average to two. The trend is thus stable over one week.
In the health network, there has been an increase of seven hospitalizations in 24 hours, or 32 new admissions and 25 discharges. Currently, 242 patients remain hospitalized in connection with COVID-19, of which 59 are still in intensive care, an increase of one case in this area compared to the previous day.
The cases continue to climb rapidly in Estrie (32 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants) and in Chaudière-Appalaches (26 per 100,000), but also in Laval (21 per 100,000) and Montreal (18 per 100,000).
On the vaccination side, the authorities administered nearly 28,500 additional doses on Tuesday, to which were added around 1,600 vaccines given before December 7, which had not yet been officially counted. This is a figure significantly higher than the average for the last seven days, while the campaign is still propelled by the appointment of 5-11 year olds in Quebec.
Including users vaccinated outside the province, nearly 14.1 million doses have so far been administered to Quebecers. To date, 82.4% of Quebecers have received at least one dose and 78.1% of Quebecers are adequately vaccinated.
On Monday, Public Health also carried out some 35,136 screening tests, a figure relatively higher than the weekly average.
All these new data appear the day after the announcement by the Legault government of new flexibility for the holiday season. The Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, in fact announced Tuesday that vaccinated Quebecers will be able to meet until 20, starting on December 23.
The government’s choice is considered “reasonable” by most experts, who nevertheless urge the Quebec population to be cautious, while “uncertainty” still remains around the Omicron variant throughout the world.
At the start of the day on Wednesday, the companies Pfizer and BioNTech for their part argued that the COVID-19 vaccine they have developed is “still effective” after “three doses” against the Omicron variant. However, the two groups wish to finalize a suitable vaccine “by March” next.
With Pierre-André Normandin