MONTREAL -- Quebec is reporting 1,041 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and a significant drop in hospitalizations.
Figures released from the province show there are 31 fewer people in hospital, for a total of 592 hospitalizations. The ICUs remained mostly stable with one less patient in intensive care. There are currently 164 people in the ICU as of Friday.
There are also 13 new deaths for a total of 10,926 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Three of the deaths happened in the last 24 hours, nine were from April 23 and April 28 and one was from an unknown date.
The Quebec Institute of Public Health (INSPQ) is reporting another significant drop in active cases. There are now 9,673 active cases in the province, which is down by 281 cases in the last 24 hours.
To date, 329,174 people have recovered from the virus, which is 1,309 more than the day before.
On April 28, 43,675 samples were analyzed.
Variants were also on the rise with 370 new identified cases. So far, 3,963 cases of variants have been sequenced. The B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the U.K., remains the most dominant strain of the virus with 3,709 identified cases in Quebec.
VACCINATIONS
The province reported 63,145 vaccinations in the last 24 hours, bringing that total to 3,104,026 doses administered. This means 35.7 per cent of the population has received a first dose.
In total, Quebec has received 3,421,969 doses of vaccines.
As of Friday, vaccination appointments are available to all Quebecers 50 and older after the province unveiled its mass vaccination campaign to the general public.
REGIONAL BREAKDOWN
Montreal once again saw the highest daily increase in new cases of COVID-19 with 297 new infections. Other regions that saw large increases include Monteregie (129 new), Chaudiere-Appalaches (117 new), Quebec City (109 new), and Laval (70 new).
Regions that saw the most new deaths include Quebec City (4 new, 1,081 total), Montreal (3 new, 4,679 total), and the Outaouais (2 new, 197 total).
