After several declines in recent days, Quebec reported on Monday a slight increase in hospitalizations linked to COVID-19, also reporting six additional deaths, while vaccination is still showing strong signs of slowing down.
Posted at 11:01 a.m.
Updated at 11:17 a.m.
These six new deaths bring the daily average of COVID mortality to 16, over a period of one week. The figure is down about 13% in the past seven days.
In the health network, an increase of 16 hospitalizations in regular care is reported on Monday, which translates into 62 new entries and 46 exits.
To date, 1,254 patients therefore remain hospitalized in connection with COVID-19, 79 of whom are still in intensive care, an increase of three cases in 24 hours in this regard (16 entries, 13 exits). For now, the 1,254 hospitalized patients represent a drop of 13% over one week. In intensive care, the drop is 16% over one week.
Authorities are also reporting 775 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the seven-day daily average to 1,119, down 17% over a seven-day period. However, it should be remembered that the limits imposed on testing make these data much less representative of transmission at the present time.
Earlier on Saturday, Public Health nevertheless carried out just over 10,400 screening tests, a relatively stable figure compared to the weekly average. So far, more than 103,000 rapid tests have been “self-declared” on the platform of the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS), of which more than 80,400 of them presented a positive diagnosis.
On the vaccination side, the Quebec campaign continues to slow down rapidly. On Sunday, just 4,900 additional doses were administered – mostly third doses. Quebec currently vaccinates 8,327 people per day, a figure that has been on a strong downward trend in recent days.
All of this new data comes as the province takes a first step toward lifting mandatory mask-wearing, starting with elementary and secondary school students across the province. Students will no longer be required to wear a mask or face covering when seated in class as many return to school after their spring break.
However, the mask remains mandatory in the common areas of elementary and secondary schools, when traveling by students and on school buses.
With Pierre-André Normandin