MONTREAL -- The number of people in Quebec's intensive care wards has dropped below 100 for the first time since December 4. 

The province reported Thursday that five fewer people are in Quebec ICUs, dropping that total down to 96.

There are also five fewer hospitalizations, for a total of 394. The province dropped below 400 people in hospital for the first time since October 18 on Wednesday.

QUEBEC DAILY NUMBERS

As Quebec prepares to reopen outdoor dining spaces on Friday, the province reported 436 more positive COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 368,899 since the start of the pandemic.

Of those, 352,807 people are reported to have recovered from the disease, an increase of 577 from Wednesday.

The Quebec Institute of Public Health (INSPQ) is reporting fewer than 5,000 active COVID-19 cases for the first time since Sept. 24. The INSPQ has 4,977 active cases, a decrease of 146 from 24 hours ago.

The province also reported 10 more deaths due to the disease, including one in the past 24 hours, six between May 20 and May 25, one before May 20 and two deaths that occurred at an unknown date. 

Since the pandemic began, 11,115 people in the province have died due to the novel coronavirus.

On May 25, 30,015 samples were analyzed.

VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

Quebec reported Thursday that health care professionals administered 90,486 more vaccine doses, including 86,453 in the past 24 hours. 

Since the vaccination campaign began, 5,202,132 Quebecers have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, which is 57.1 per cent of the population. Quebec reports that 370,706 people have received both doses, which is four per cent of the population.

Quebecers who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be able to walk into a clinic and get their second dose as early as next Saturday after the province announced it is changing the interval between the two doses of that vaccine from 12 to eight weeks.

VARIANT TRACKER

Quebec reported 155 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 variants on Thursday, bringing the total number to 7,352.

Of the confirmed variant cases in Quebec, 6,420 B.1.1.7 cases were reported, 378 were the B.1.351 variants, 437 were P.1, 117 were B.1.525 and there was one B.1.617.

REGIONAL DATA

After dropping below 100 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, Montreal reported 158 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday (130,562 total) to lead the regions. 

The Monteregie reported 58 new cases (50,496 total), followed by the Eastern Townships (40 new, 14,561 total) and Quebec City (36 new, 32,466 total).

Four deaths were reported in Montreal (4,737 total), two were reported in Bas-Saint-Laurent (45 total) and one each in Quebec City (1,106 total), Chaudiere-Appalaches (350 total), Laval (909 total) and the Laurentians (503 total).