Quebec authorities do not know how many of the current cases of COVID-19 are associated with the contagious subvariant BA.2, cousin of Omicron. The National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ) has confirmed to the Homework Wednesday morning that “due to issues in the supply of reagents and associated delays in the analyses, the data for the last few weeks are currently partial and in the process of being validated”.
However, Quebec has recorded an increase in cases in recent days. Some 2,111 new infections were officially counted on Wednesday. The positivity rate now stands at 13% in the province.
In Gaspésie and the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, cases are exploding. According to the regional director of public health, the Dr Yv Bonnier-Viger, it is “quite likely” that BA.2 is responsible for the significant spread.
However, this is a hypothesis. The screening of COVID-19 cases is carried out by the Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec — which reports to the INSPQ — and sentinel laboratories. The INSPQ indicates that the partial data currently collected “suggests that the sub-lineage [BA.2] continues to grow in the province, similar to what is happening in many places around the world”.
Ten days ago, Public Health reported that more than 10% of COVID-19 cases in Quebec were now associated with the BA.2 subvariant.
The acting national director of public health, Dr.r Luc Boileau, will provide an update on the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec at 2 p.m. He will be accompanied by his Senior Strategic Medical Advisor, Dr.D Marie-France Raynault, and the medical microbiologist, Dr.r John Longtin.
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