COVID-19 in Quebec: Hospitalizations drop to 2,051, more than 7,300 health workers absent

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 decreased again on Friday with 68 fewer people receiving care as the province reports 7,337 health-care workers are absent for reasons related to the virus.

The number of health-care worker absences, which can be for several reasons including isolating after testing positive or waiting for test results, dropped from 7,506 on Thursday.

The Ministry of Health reported the total number of hospitalizations fell to 2,051 after 127 people were admitted and 195 people were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours.

ICU cases also dropped to 60, a decrease of four from the day before.

Another 22 people are reported to have died due to COVID-19, the ministry said, which brings the total to 15,106.

The update from the province also said 1,243 people tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours through PCR testing, which is reserved for high-priority segments of the population. An additional 283 rapid antigen test results were logged with the health ministry, which reported 240 of those tests were positive.

Health-care workers analyzed 16,518 samples on May 14.

The positivity rate improved from Thursday, dropping to 9 per cent from 11.6 per cent on Wednesday. Meanwhile, active cases and active outbreaks both dropped across the province to 18,896 and 920, respectively.  

VACCINATION UPDATE

Health-care workers administered 28,063 vaccine doses into people's arms Thursday, an increase of more than 6,000 shots from the day before. An additional 327,140 shots have been given to Quebecers outside of the province, for a cumulative total of 19,935,642 jabs.

To date, health-care workers have given out 7,432,543 first doses covering 91 per cent of the eligible population, 4,434,611 third doses covering 54 per cent of the population, and 876,437 fourth doses covering 11 per cent of the population.

The majority of Thursday's shots (23,681) were for fourth doses, also known as "second booster" shots, which are now available to all Quebec adults who want one.

Data for second doses is no longer published on the province's COVID-19 dashboard. 

 

COVID-19 CASES IN QUEBEC
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