MONTREAL -- As Quebecers get set for a curfew to be implemented and Ontario broke its record for daily increases with 3,519 new cases, Quebec reported that 2,519 more people tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday.
The number is slightly below the 2,554 seven-day daily increase average.
The new cases bring the province's total number of positive cases to 220,518. The province added that 186,996 people have recovered from the disease.
The Quebec Institute of Public Health is reporting that there are 24,955 active cases of novel coronavirus in the province.
Of the active 1,378 outbreaks in the province, Quebec reports 674 are active in the work environment, 463 at living and care environments and 116 in the educational system.
The province also reported 74 new deaths due to COVID-19 including 16 in the past 24 hours, 41 between Dec. 31 and Jan. 5, 15 before Dec. 31, and two at an unknown date.
The total number of people who have died in the province due to the disease is now 8,562.
Health-care professionals administered 9,960 vaccinations Wednesday. Quebec has now administered 48,632 vaccines in the province.
The INESSS (Institut national d'excellence en sante et services sociaux) reported Thursday that Montreal's COVID-19 hospitals have a very real possibility of becoming overrun in the coming weeks.
The province reported some good news Thursday, saying 13 fewer people are receiving treatment in Quebec's hospitals for COVID-19 reducing the total number of hospitalizations to 1,380. Of those, 202 people are in the intensive care ward, the same number as Wednesday.
On Jan. 5, 34,857 samples were analyzed, according to the province.
REGIONAL DATA
The highest increases in cases were reported in Montreal (871 new, 77,697 total), Monteregie (382 new, 31,175 total), and Laval (245 new, 18,372 total).
The Laurentians saw its highest increase in weeks when the region reported 176 new cases (1,990 total), and Quebec City (161 new, 19,089 total), Mauricie-et-Centre-du-Quebec (158 new, 10,681 total), the Eastern Townships (146 new, 8,786 total), Lanaudiere (139 new, 16,226 total) and Chaudiere-Appalaches (116 new, 9,146 total) also reported high increses in cases.
The number of deaths in Montreal rose dramatically Thursday with the island reporting 24 new deaths (3,947).
Twelve deaths were reported in Quebec City (740 total), nine in Monteregie (1,118 total); eight in Mauricie-et-Centre-du-Quebec (376 total); seven in the Eastern Townships (195 total); five in Outaouais (130 total); four in the Laurentians (372 total); two in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (230 total) and Chaudiere-Appalaches (201 total) and one death was reported in Laval (773 total).
