COVID-19 cases in Quebec drop with 463 new infections, 83 % not fully vaccinated

MONTREAL -

New COVID-19 cases in Quebec dropped below 500 on Sunday and there were no new deaths due to the disease.

Health Quebec tweeted out new data that showed 463 new novel coronavirus infections, 100 fewer than the day before.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of cases now stands at 384,844.

The average for the last seven days is 451, which remains higher than the daily increases since the beginning of the month.

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Quebec also reported that 68 per cent of the new cases were reported by people who have not been vaccinated or received a first dose less than 14 days ago.

The percentage of new cases who received a second dose of vaccine more than seven days ago is 17 per cent.

The death toll due to the disease remains at 11,279, and authorities did not release new data on hospitalizations this weekend.

As of Friday, there were 87 hospitalizations. Of these patients, 30 were being treated in intensive care.

The number of active outbreaks increased slightly from 189 to 190.

The data is based on 15,952 tests.

The positivity rate continues to be a concern, increasing from 2.9 per cent to 3.3 per cent.

#COVID19 - En date du 21 août, voici la situation au Québec : https://t.co/FxK4or5HJ4 pic.twitter.com/m69XBBVsKv

— Santé Québec (@sante_qc) August 22, 2021

Vaccinations have continued to decline.

Quebec health-care professionals administered 38,086 more doses, including 32,022 second doses, since the previous report, for a total of over 12.1 million doses.

According to Health Quebec, 76 per cent of Quebecers aged 12 and over have been adequately vaccinated.

OUTBREAKS CONTINUE TO RISE

The Quebec Institute of Public Health's most recent report on COVID-19 outbreaks published Friday shows the upward trend for outbreaks continues.

Retail, manufacturing and construction sites account for the majority of new outbreaks in addition to ones that occurred in the food services industry.

The regions most affected, the INSPQ says, are Montreal, Monteregie, Quebec City and Laval.

Laval and Quebec City in addition to the Mauricie-Centre-du-Quebec region are exceeding the provincial outbreak rates.

The 55 new outbreaks accounted for a 67 per cent rise, and there are now 84 active outbreaks after 21 were contained and no longer active.

The retail sector accounted for 12 new outbreaks (29 cases), which added to the seven active outbreaks brings the total to 19. The food services industry added 12 (33 cases) to nine active for 21 total, and the manufacturing industry reported seven new (18 cases) in addition to eight active (19 total).  

--  With reporting from The Canadian Press.