Influenza and COVID-19 continue to spread in Quebec, RSV on the decline

With the holiday season just a few weeks away, Quebec is still dealing with a triple wave of infectious respiratory diseases.
According to Public Health, December will be a difficult month for influenza and COVID-19 cases.
Quebec's public health director Dr. Luc BNoileau held a press conference on Monday afternoon in Montreal, to provide an update on the situation.
He had some good news and some not-so-good news to share with Quebecers. On a positive note, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is spreading rapidly among children, has reached the peak of its curve and its transmission is currently declining.
Unfortunately, the trend is in reverse when it comes to the spread of influenza and COVID-19.
In the case of influenza, the season started much earlier this year and activity is high," said Dr. Boileau. He added that the peak of the spread has not been reached and that transmission could still be very strong during the month of December.
As for COVID-19, hospitalization data is on the rise again and new variants, mainly the BQ.1 strain, are still spreading rapidly.
Public Health is once again encouraging Quebecers to get vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19. With the many holiday gatherings approaching, people with symptoms are asked to stay home. In addition, wearing a mask is strongly recommended in indoor public places.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 5, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | U.S. considering plan to down Chinese balloon over Atlantic
The Biden administration is considering a plan to shoot down a large Chinese balloon suspected of conducting surveillance on the U.S. military, by bringing it down once it is above the Atlantic Ocean where the remnants could potentially be recovered, according to four U.S. officials.

Dangerously cold temperatures envelop Northeast
The Arctic air that descended on the Northeast on Saturday brought dangerously cold sub-zero temperatures and wind chills to the region, including a record-setting wind chill of minus 108 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 78 C) on the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire.
Marit Stiles officially confirmed as Ontario NDP leader by majority vote
Marit Stiles has been confirmed as the new leader of the Ontario NDP after a majority of party members voted in favour of the lone candidate.
W5 Investigates | Daniel Jolivet insists he's not a murderer and says he has proof
Convicted murderer Daniel Jolivet, in prison for the past 30 years, has maintained his innocence since the day he was arrested. W5 reviews the evidence he painstakingly assembled while behind bars. W5's documentary 'Buried Evidence' airs Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a spy balloon from China? Here's what we know about the balloon so far
The massive white orb drifting across U.S. airspace has triggered a diplomatic maelstrom and is blowing up on social media. A look at what's known about the balloon crossing the U.S. and what isn't.
Poor oral health could affect the brain later in life: early study
An early study has shown keeping your gums and teeth healthy may have added benefits for your brain health.
Dozens of soldiers freed in Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap
Dozens of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war have returned home following a prisoner swap, officials on both sides said Saturday.
Oldest preserved vertebrate brain found in 319-million-year-old fish fossil
The oldest preserved vertebrate brain has been found in a 319-million-year-old fossilized fish skull that was removed from an English coal mine over a century ago.
In Tyre Nichols' neighbourhood, Black residents fear police
In a terrible way, the death of Tyre Nichols brings vindication to members of the Black community in Memphis who live in terror of police.