Quebec COVID-19 hospitalizations drop along with ICU numbers, 28 new deaths

The number of Quebecers receiving care for COVID-19 in hospitals and intensive care units continued to drop on Saturday, as the province eases more restrictions.

There were 71 fewer patients in hospitals in the province than there were 24 hours ago, and ICU numbers dropped by 11.

The Ministry of Health said that 144 patients checked into the hospital for treatment and 215 checked out, making the total number of hospitalizations 2,143. Of those, 153 are in ICUs after 13 patients were transferred or admitted to intensive care.

Of the new patients in hospital, 85 were over 60 years old - 50 triple-vaccinated, 21 double-vaccinated, 11 unvaccinated, one who received one dose of vaccine, and two with unknown vaccination status. Of those under 60 years old, five were triple-vaccinated, 21 double-vaccinated, 11 unvaccinated, three having received one dose of vaccine, and eight with unknown vaccination status. Three patients were between five and 11 and considered fully vaccinated and eight were under five and ineligible to receive a vaccine dose.

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The ministry says 3,697,936 people in the province have received their booster dose, 2,872,158 are double-vaccinated, 197,765 have received one dose, and 728,373 people are unvaccinated.

For those between five and 11, 660,704 children are considered fully vaccinated and 404,350 kids are under five years old and ineligible to receive a vaccine dose.

Quebec also added 28 new deaths due to the disease, bringing that total to 13,684.

Of the 20,736 PCR tests analyzed by Quebec health-care professionals, 2,359 came back positive for a positivity rate of 11 per cent.

The ministry is monitoring 1,130 active COVID-19 outbreaks.