The upward trend in COVID-19 cases continues in Quebec, at a time when hospitalizations are going down in the health network. The province also counts 12 additional deaths linked to the virus on Friday.
Posted at 11:21 a.m.
In fact, 2,203 new cases of the disease detected by PCR tests were reported on Friday, bringing the daily average calculated over seven days to 1,602. The trend is thus up 46% over one week. However, it should be remembered that these figures are less representative of the situation and could be underestimated, due to the limits that are still imposed on screening.
Moreover, at the same time, 2,022 people reported having obtained a positive result from a rapid test. Self-reported cases have doubled (+104%) in the past week. In total, more than 122,000 rapid tests have so far been “self-declared” on the platform of the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS), of which more than 96,475 presented a positive diagnosis of COVID-19.
Despite the rise in cases, deaths remain on the decline. The 12 new deaths bring the daily average to eight. The trend is thus down 40% over one week.
Towards an increase in hospitalizations?
There is also a drop of 14 hospitalizations in the regular care network on Friday, which is explained by 93 new entries and 107 exits. To date, 1,048 patients with COVID-19 remain hospitalized, 59 of whom are still in intensive care, an increase of two cases in 24 hours on this plan (10 entries, eight exits).
To date, the 1,048 people hospitalized represent a 3% increase over one week. The 59 patients in intensive care also show a more marked increase, of 31% over one week.
For the past week, we have noted that there are a few more people who must be admitted to hospital than people who are discharged and can leave. In new models published on Wednesday, the National Institute for Excellence in Health and Social Services (INESSS) also anticipated in the next two weeks “an upward trend in the number of new hospitalizations as well as the number of regular beds occupied by COVID patients which would be between levels 2 and 3 defined by the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS)”.
On Wednesday, Public Health carried out 16,150 screening tests, a relatively stable figure compared to the weekly average. The positivity rate is currently 16.3% in Quebec.
On the vaccination side, the Quebec campaign is struggling to pick up speed. On Thursday, just 8,000 more doses were given, more than 5,000 of which were third doses. Including those vaccinated outside the province, the province has still administered more than 18.9 million doses since the start of the pandemic.
So far, approximately 86.7% of Quebecers have received one dose, 82.8% of them have two doses and 49.9% of the population now has a third dose. At this rate, the province should cross the 50% barrier for the booster dose early next week.
With Pierre-André Normandin