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
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson airport: police
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
'$6.66 per day': Advocacy groups disheartened by funding in budget for disability benefit
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.