MONTREAL -- The number of active COVID-19 cases in Quebec dropped below 2,000 for the first time since early September when the Quebec Institute of Public Health reported 1,970 cases Saturday, a decrease of 98.

The last time active cases were below 2,000 in Quebec was Sept. 5 when 1,983 were reported.

The province added 182 new novel coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, and the total number of infections since the start of the pandemic is now 372,838. 

Of those, 359,698 are reported to have recovered from the disease, an increase of 277.

Quebec added three more deaths due to COVID-19, one of which occurred between June 5 and June 10, one before June 5, and one at an unknown date.

Since the pandemic began, 11,170 people are said to have died in Quebec, according to health officials. 

Hospitalizations continued to drop in the province with 17 fewer patients receiving care in the hospital for COVID-19 for a total of 227. Of those, 59 people are in intensive care wards, the same number as 24 hours ago.

On June 10, 20,329 samples were analyzed.

VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

Quebec health-care professionals administered 107,501 more doses of vaccine including 103,610 in the past 24 hours. 

Since the vaccination campaign began, the province says 5,774,270 people (77 per cent of the population) have received one dose of vaccine, while 831,071 (11 per cent) have received both doses.

REGIONAL DATA

Six regions in Quebec reported over 10 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours: Montreal (60 new, 131,973 total), Monteregie (24 new, 51,075 total), Outaouais (23 new, 12,363 total), Laval (18 new, 31,387 total), Lanaudiere (15 new, 23,888 total), and Chaudiere-Appalaches (12 new, 19,170 total).

The three deaths were reported in Quebec City, Chaudiere-Appalaches and the Lower Laurentians.