Hospitalizations related to COVID-19 continue to increase rapidly in the health network, returning above the 1400 mark, as the relative increase in new infections continues in the province. It also lists seven additional deaths on Monday.
Posted at 11:21 a.m.
These seven new deaths bring the daily average calculated over seven days to 12. The trend is thus up 43% over a period of one week.
Authorities are also reporting 2,331 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the daily average to 2,816. This trend is thus up 44% over one week. These numbers, however, likely reflect only a portion of total infections, due to limited access to PCR testing.
To date, the proportion of PCR screening tests proving positive for COVID-19 remains very high, hovering around 15.5% according to the latest available data. On Saturday, Public Health carried out 15,157 screening tests, a relatively stable figure compared to the weekly average.
In addition to the cases detected by PCR tests, 6,578 people also reported over the weekend having obtained a positive result from a rapid test. The trend of new self-reported cases, which are not included in the daily reported cases, has thus increased by 44% over the past week.
So far, more than 148,700 rapid tests have been self-reported on the platform of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), of which more than 119,470 presented a positive diagnosis for COVID-19.
Further increase in hospitalizations
On Monday, there was a marked increase of 57 hospitalizations related to the disease in the regular care network, which stems from 158 new entries and 101 exits. To date, 1,407 patients remain hospitalized due to the virus, 69 of whom are still in intensive care. In this regard, however, it is a drop of three cases in the last 24 hours (8 entries, 11 exits).
For now, the 1,407 people currently hospitalized represent an increase of 26% over one week. In intensive care, the 69 patients represent a 30% increase over one week.
On the current trend, the number of people in hospital is expected to continue to increase over the next few days, with the number of admissions continuing to outpace discharges. On average, there are 42 more patients every day.
On the vaccination side, the Quebec campaign remains in slow motion after having experienced an increase in the last few days. On Sunday, barely 8,400 doses were administered, to which are added, however, 300 vaccines given before April 3 which had not yet been counted. Including those vaccinated outside the province, the province has now administered more than 19 million doses since the start of the pandemic.
Given the apparent increase in cases, the obligation to wear the mask in public places should be maintained throughout the month of April. Public Health must indeed make its recommendations to the Legault government later on Monday, but has already telegraphed its intentions in recent days.
Last week, Quebec’s acting national director of public health, Dr.r Luc Boileau, indeed reported that the lifting of the obligation to wear the mask scheduled for April 14 was under review, therefore that a postponement was envisaged, due to the sixth wave of COVID-19.
With Pierre-André Normandin