Quebec COVID-19 hospitalizations rise to highest since February

There are now 2,154 people in hospital with COVID-19 in Quebec, according to public health, and 96 of them are in the intensive care unit.

The last time that many people were in hospital because of the coronavirus was Feb. 9. 

Since Wednesday, 282 people were admitted to hospital and 188 people were discharged, for a net increase of 94. 

As for health-care staff, just under 13,000 (12,995) were absent from work because of COVID-19. 

Public health reports 26 more people died due to the virus, bringing that total to 14,618. 

• Complete coverage at CTVNews.ca/coronavirus
• Coronavirus newsletter sign-up: Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox

The province reported 3,190 positive PCR tests; screening is only available to members of select vulnerable groups.

In addition, 1,122 people reported they had tested positive on a rapid test. 

Quebec's positivity rate was 16.5 per cent after health-care professionals analyzed 22,663 PCR tests ahead of Thursday's update. 

There are 32,556 known active cases in Quebec and 984 outbreaks.

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN

One in 72 people in the Terres-Cries-de-la-Baie-James region has COVID-19, according to officials. It is the most affected region per capita in Quebec, based on recorded PCR tests. 

Public health has maintained PCR test eligibility for residents of First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities, which make up a large share of people living in that region.

That means a larger proportion of positive cases are being recorded by the government compared to Montreal, for example. 

• Who else can get a PCR test?

For its part, Montreal is reporting the largest share of Quebec's active cases (6,282 of 32,556), amounting to one in 330 people. 

The health centre for Hochelaga, Mercier-Ouest and Rosemont reported the highest density of active cases. At least one in 286 people is sick. 

After Terres-Cries-de-la-Baie-James, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine has the second highest per capita rate (one in 123) and Côte-Nord (one in 134) is third.

VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

Health-care workers administered 46,057 vaccine doses since Wednesday morning, for a total of over 19 million shots since the campaign began. 

While 87 per cent of Quebecers have gotten two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, 54 per cent have been boosted, though a third dose is only available to adults. 

Public health says unvaccinated people are four times more likely to be hospitalized after catching the virus, compared to someone with two doses, and 9.5 times more likely to need intensive care. 

 

COVID-19 CASES IN QUEBEC
Infogram