MONTREAL -- COVID-19 has been more prevalant in Quebec's women than men, unlike many other of the world's regions according to data published by the Quebec Institute of Public Health on Saturday.
According to the data, of the 36,986 cases of the virus discovered in the province, 60 per cent have been women. Women also account for 54 per cent of deaths associated with COVID-19.
In their paper, the institute did not explain why the virus might have affected more women, though women do make up approximately 90 per cent of the province's nursing workforce, according to the Quebec Order of Nurses.
The data also showed the age group most affected are people between the ages of 30 and 49, who accounts for 28 per cent of confirmed cases. That's followed by 50 to 69-year-olds, who make up 24.1 per cent.
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However, the group between the ages of 80 and 89 have the highest percentage of deaths, accounting for 40 per cent of fatal COVID-19 cases. That's followed by those 90 and older, who account for 33 per cent of deaths.
People under the age of 18 represent only 0.5 per cent of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the province while 19 to 40-year-olds make up 2.8 per cent.
Those over 81 make up 45 per cent of hospitalizations and 71 to 80-year-olds make up 24 per cent.
According to the data, Quebec has 433 confirmed cases per 100,000 people, which places it behind Spain – with 522 cases per 100,000 – but ahead of the United States, which has 401 cases per 100,000.
The institute warned that “international comparisons must be interpreted with caution since the strategy for case detection can differ between countries.”
