MONTREAL -- Quebec added 1,502 new cases of COVID-19 and 66 deaths on Wednesday, in the fourth-straight day reporting fewer than 2,000 cases.

Recoveries outnumbered new cases, with 2,250 people reportedly virus-free, leaving 19,010 known active cases in the province. 

Of the 66 deaths, 10 occurred in the last 24 hours, 42 between Jan. 13 and 18, 11 before Jan. 13 and three happened at an unknown date.

Since March, the province has recorded a total of 247,236 infections, of which 219,592 have recovered. In total, the novel coronavirus has killed 9,208 people in Quebec. 

The number of hospitalizations decreased by 33 compared to the previous day, for a cumulative total of 1,467. 

Among these, the number of people in intensive care increased by four, for a total of 216.

VACCINES

On Jan. 19, 10,207 doses of vaccine were administered, for a total of 174,260. 

Approximately 2 per cent of people in Quebec have recieved the vaccine.

In the last seven days (since Jan. 13), 66,895 people got a dose, for a daily average of 9,556.

TESTING

On Jan. 18, the province conducted 28,889 tests and received 1,386 positive results. This represents a positivity rate of 4.8 per cent. 

Quebec releases its testing data 48 hours after the reported day. 

REGIONAL CASES

Montreal was the most affected region, reporting 629 new infections, up from 479 the day before. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the city has recorded 88,247 cases of COVID-19. 

After Montreal, Monteregie recorded 199 new cases (35,248 total), then Laval (148 new, 20,814 total), the Eastern Townships (92 new, 10,066 total), and Lanaudiere (89 new, 17,760 total),

REGIONAL DEATHS

Seventeen deaths were reported in Montreal (4,131 total), 13 in Quebec City (843 total), 10 in Mauricie-et-Centre-du-Quebec (405 total), five in Outaouais (147 total) and Monteregie (1,231 total), four in the Eastern Townships (238 total) and the Laurentians (401 total).

Two deaths were reported in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (250 total), Cahudiere-Appalaches (227 total), Laval (803 total), and Lanaudiere (440 total).