MONTREAL -- Quebec public health officials are reporting 2,546 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and 69 more hospitalizations.

With the new cases, Quebec reported on Monday a total of 212,850 positive novel coronavirus tests since the start of the pandemic in March, though 181,205 have recovered thus far, including 1,749 in the last 24 hours. There are currently 23,264 active cases in the province.

Quebec's rate of new cases is at about 300 per million, the highest of any province or territory in the country.

Hospitalizations are now at 1,294, including 188 in intensive care, an increase of nine from the day before. 

In addition, 32 more people are reported to have died due to the disease, including nine deaths in the past 24 hours, 22 deaths between Dec. 28 and Jan. 2, and one death that occurred at an unknown date.

In total, Quebec has reported 8,379 deaths due to COVID-19 in 2020.

On Monday, health-care professionals administered 1,711 doses of the vaccine. A total of 30,473 vaccines have been administered thus far. The highest number of vaccines have been administered in Montreal (6,907), Quebec City (4,467) and Monteregie (4,718).

On Jan. 2, health officials analyzed 21,238 samples, bringing the total number of COVID-19 tests administered in the province to 4,991,084.

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN

Montreal recorded 1,128 new cases (75,190 total). Monteregie with 244 new (29,917 total) reported the second highest increase followed by Laval (222 new, 17,605 total), Quebec City (148 new, 18,574 total), Lanaudiere (157 new, 15,724 total), Chaudiere-Appalaches (127 new, 8,683 total), the Eastern Townships (124 new, 8,392 total), the Laurentians (120 new, 11,541 total), and Mauricie-et-Centre-du-Quebec (102 new, 10,264 total).