Quebec COVID-19 numbers rise significantly again with 2,736 new cases

Quebec reported a significant spike in new coronavirus cases Thursday for the second day in a row with 2,736 new infections. 

The province states five more people have died due to the virus, bringing that total to 11,627.

It's a return to numbers not seen since Jan. 8, 2021, as the province battled the peak of its most infectious coronavirus wave to date.

The difference this time is lower hospitalizations rates.

This time last year, there were nearly 1,400 people in hospital with serious symptoms of COVID-19, according to Quebec's Public Health Institute (INSPQ). 

On Thursday, Quebec reported 305 people in hospital care, an overall decrease of four compared to the day before.

In addition, 34 people were admitted to hospitals across the province, with 38 people discharged. 

Of those in hospital, 63 are in the ICU, a decrease of 10 since Wednesday. That's after one person was admitted and 11 were released.

Active cases are currently at 17,400. 

Thursday's update brings the total reported cases to 474,478 since the pandemic began; 1,305 people were declared virus-free, bringing total recoveries to 445,451.

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POSITIVITY RATE CLIMBS

Thursday's update was based on 43,140 analyzed COVID-19 tests -- a positivity rate of 6.4 per cent. Generally, public health authorities have been treating five per cent as a threshold for alarm.

A positivity rate this high hasn't been seen in Quebec since Jan. 17.

The increase in cases may be driven by the growing presence of the Omicron variant in the province. 

The INSPQ reported 13 confirmed cases of the variant Thursday, an increase of two.

The institute has identified 129 presumptive cases of Omicron, a more than five-fold increase since Wednesday. 

On Wednesday, Montreal Public Health Director Dr. Mylene Drouin estimated Quebec's Omicron cases are doubling in their rate every "two or three days."

As for other variants, the INSPQ reported an increase in Delta cases of 83, bringing that total to 31,805.

MOST NEW CASES AMONG VACCINATED PEOPLE

As it stands, 81 per cent of Quebecers aged five and up have been fully vaccinated, 88 have gotten at least one dose and six per cent have received their booster. 

While the vaccine still provides protection against COVID-19 -- unvaccinated people are 2.6 per cent more likely to catch the virus -- most of Thursday's cases were reported among people with two doses received more than seven days ago.

Of Quebec's 2,736 new cases, 1,591 were fully vaccinated. 

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people made up the bulk of those admitted to hospital since Wednesday -- 22 of the 34 new admissions. 

Unvaccinated people are 15.3 times more likely to end up in hospital after getting sick, according to public health data. That risk drops significantly even after just one dose to 2.6 times. 

MOST CASES IN MONTREAL, VIRUS GAINING STEAM ELSEWHERE

Most of Thursday's cases were reported in Montreal, where 949 new infections were discovered. 

Following Montreal, the Montérégie recorded 374 new cases, and Chaudière-Appalaches had 284. 

Just about every region reported more cases Thursday than on Wednesday with the widest gap recorded in the Eastern Townships -- 217 cases on Thursday and 140 on Wednesday.

 

COVID-19 CASES IN QUEBEC
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