In a heavy toll, Quebec reported on Tuesday a marked increase in 25 hospitalizations linked to COVID-19, while there were also 1,747 new infections and seven additional deaths. Vaccination, however, seems to be gaining speed.
These 1,747 new cases bring the daily average to 1,757. The trend is thus up 38% over one week. With seven additional deaths, the average death rate from the virus stands at three per day. The trend is thus up slightly over one week.
There was also a significant increase on Tuesday of 25 hospitalizations in Quebec, which translates into 47 new admissions and 25 discharges, thus bringing the province closer to the 300 mark in this regard.
For the time being, 293 patients remain hospitalized in connection with COVID-19, of which 75 are still in intensive care, an increase of two people in 24 hours. The number of people hospitalized increased by 25% over one week. This increase is 29% in intensive care.
On the vaccination side, around 34,000 additional doses were administered during the day on Monday, to which are added a little more than 1,090 vaccines given before December 13 which had not yet been counted. Including people vaccinated outside the province, nearly 14.3 million doses have been given to Quebecers so far. To date, 83.4% of Quebecers have received at least one dose, while 78.3% of the province’s population is adequately vaccinated.
Three weeks after the start of the vaccination campaign among 5 to 11 year olds, half of this age group is vaccinated or has made an appointment to be vaccinated in the coming days. Indeed, 43.1% of these young people received their first dose. In addition, 7.5% are waiting for their appointment.
Last Sunday, Public Health carried out 32,002 screening tests, a relatively stable figure compared to the weekly average.
The Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, must take stock at 1 p.m. on the pandemic in Quebec. On Monday, Premier François Legault promised to remain “cautious” in the face of “the explosion” of cases associated with the Omicron variant in Ontario. If he admits that the same situation could occur in Quebec, the Prime Minister persisted: hospitalizations there remain stable and no tightening is planned for Christmas.
“There will be an increase in hospitalizations” in Quebec, but the question is to know “at what height”, also suggested Mr. Legault. “Are we going to go to 1500 as in Europe or the United States, or are we going to stay below 500, 1000?” This is what the experts will tell us, ”he said.
With Pierre-André Normandin