Quebec premier says he's ruling out new public health restrictions for the holidays
Quebec is ruling out imposing new health restrictions, despite the steady rise of new COVID-19 cases.
Health Minister Christian Dubé, however, says he is concerned about the spike in new cases, just weeks before the holidays.
Legault has already made it clear that he would like to authorize gatherings of up to 25 people in homes during the holidays, rather than the current limit of 10 people.
"We're not planning to add measures," said Legault late Wednesday afternoon during a press conference at a vaccination center in Lévis, Que. "I know Quebecers well enough to know that there are many people fed up with the current measures."
He and the health minister say they are watching the numbers closely.
"We don't like the trend, but it's under control," Legault noted.
The 1,196 cases of COVID-19 reported in Quebec on Wednesday have authorities worried, but Legault points out the number of hospitalizations is currently 239.
"The key is to monitor the number of hospitalizations. As long as we stay at low levels, it remains under control," he said.
The province is now focusing on mass vaccination of five to 11-year-olds, who are currently contributing to the rise in cases.
The number of children vaccinated has now reached 37 per cent and should have a "downward effect" on reported cases, Legault added.
Quebec's public health director, Dr. Horacio Arruda, will report next week on whether or not he recommends allowing gatherings of up to 25 people.
'I DON'T LIKE IT,' SAYS DUBÉ ON CURRENT TREND
Wednesday morning, Dubé suggested that the current situation is not encouraging.
"Twelve hundred cases, I don't like it. We're back to our highest level in the last month. We are not finished with the vaccination of children, we are not finished with the vaccination of our older people," he said.
He deplored the fact that there are still 650,000 Quebecers who could be vaccinated, but are not.
"We're not talking about five to 11-year-olds or zero to five-year-olds. There are 650,000 Quebecers who refuse to be vaccinated and we are at the beginning of a new variant and we are at the beginning of winter," said the health minister.
Dubé adds he is also concerned about rising hospitalization numbers.
"I've seen, in three consecutive days, an increase of 10 hospitalizations and intensive care [cases per day]," he said. "That's real. That's what's happening to us right now and we have a variant case."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 1, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.