Quebec COVID-19 numbers stay high, with 1,146 new cases Thursday
For the second day in a row, Quebec reported more than 1,100 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, tallying up 1,146.
The previous day saw a major spike, with 1,196 reported, the highest number since April. Both days were hundreds higher than the previous days.
On Thursday, there were again two new deaths.
Net hospitalizations, however, dropped slightly, with 227 people in hospital, a decrease of 12 from the previous day -- there were 18 new entries and 30 patients discharged.
Of those, 53 are in intensive care, an increase of one.
Montreal is not the hardest-hit region in the province, but its public health director said in a press conference Wednesday that her team is preparing for another wave of the virus, including reserving 500 hospital beds and ramping up virus sequencing to track the Omicron variant.
She urged parents to speed up their kids' vaccinations, taking them to clinics now rather than wait for visiting nurses to come to their schools, which could take weeks.
Of the province's current 761 active outbreaks, nearly 60 per cent are at elementary schools or daycares.
17 PER CENT OF QUEBEC KIDS HAVE ONE DOSE
The daily vaccination numbers have risen since children ages five to 11 became eligible last Wednesday. On Thursday, the province reported that 27,558 doses were added the previous day.
Nearly 14,000 of those were among children under 12, according to provincial data. Overall, 108,337 children have gotten a first shot, or 17 per cent of all Quebec children in that age group.
In Montreal, public health says 14 per cent of children in that age group have already gotten a shot, and another 16 per cent have appointments.
Among adults, vaccination numbers continue to creep up slowly. The group with lowest vaccine coverage, those 18 to 39 years old, have gradually increased their numbers, with 82 per cent in this group now fully vaccinated.
Among teenagers and people 40 to 59, it's higher: 88 per cent in both groups are fully vaccinated. For those above 60, it's 94 per cent.
The risk of hospitalization for someone who's unvaccinated is currently 15.8 times higher than for a vaccinated person, according to the province's last 28 days of data.
There are 8,869 active cases in the province, another number that continues to climb, and the positivity rate for all COVID-19 tests is at 3.3 per cent, well below the alarm threshold of 5 per cent, but gradually climbing over the last five weeks.
EASTERN TOWNSHIPS RATE CLIMBS HIGHER
Aside from Nunavik, which has seen sky-high COVID-19 numbers for more than two months, the Eastern Townships continues to be the hardest hit among the southern regions.
Its rate of infection rose further since Wednesday, going from 248 to 260 active cases per 100,000 people.
No other southern region has a rate higher than 155, which is Chaudiere-Appalache's current rate. Laval and Montreal both hover just below 130.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.