Quebec reports 1,367 new COVID-19 cases; 32 per cent of kids 5-11 now have a shot
Quebec continued its run of high daily COVID-19 infections, reporting 1,367 new cases Wednesday.
The province saw two new deaths and a slight uptick in hospitalizations: there are seven more people overall in hospital, after 32 were admitted and 25 were discharged.
One more person is in intensive care, for a total of 59.
The number of active cases is soaring, to 11,140 as of Wednesday.
The positivity rate for all the province's COVID-19 tests, after going up to 4.3 per cent on Sunday, was back down to 4 per cent on Monday, the last day for which data is available.
32 PER CENT OF KIDS 5 TO 11 VACCINATED
Vaccinations have continued at a fast clip as many parents rush to get their young children a first shot. Just over 30,000 shots were reported on Wednesday, with almost half of them given to kids aged five to 11.
That brings the portion of partially vaccinated children in this age group to 32 per cent across the province.
Boosters are also contributing to the high numbers, with more than 12,000 third doses newly given out.
That number will likely climb soon, as Quebec announced Tuesday that it is broadening eligibility for booster shots to include people with long-term illness, pregnant Quebecers and others, newly including about a million people in total.
In January, booster shots will also be available to those 60 and up.
As of Wednesday, unvaccinated people in Quebec are 15.9 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people.
Overall, across the province, the group with the lowest vaccination rate is still people aged 18 to 39, though this group's rate has kept slowly increasing, going from 82 per cent vaccinated to 83 per cent in less than a week.
EASTERN TOWNSHIPS CASES UP; NUNAVIK DOWN
Among the regions, the Eastern Townships continues to stand out, with its infection rate now at 285 cases per 100,000 people. It now has the second-worst infection rate among all public health units in Canada, according to tracking by an Ontario statistician.
Nunavik, while still the highest in Quebec and the country, has seen its first good news in more than two months, as the infection rate has dropped sharply in the last few days.
It now stands at 416 active cases per 100,000 people, only about a third of what it was at the peak of the region's crisis.
Montreal's active case rate has stayed fairly stable over the last several days, currently standing just below 160 cases per 100,000. Laval is on a more marked upswing and has now reached a rate of 187.
Other regions with noticeable upward trends are Chaudiere-Appalaches (202), Mauricie et Centre-du-Quebec (126), Lanaudiere (130), Laurentides (127) and Monteregie (102).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.