Quebec reports 428 new COVID-19 cases; unvaccinated 21 times more likely to be hospitalized
Quebec on Thursday reported 428 new COVID-19 cases, slightly down from the day before, along with three new deaths.
Overall hospitalizations due to the virus decreased by 13 -- while 17 people were newly admitted, 30 were discharged.
There are currently 72 people in intensive care for coronavirus, with nine discharged and nine admitted in the last day.
Active cases in the province stand at 4,773 after hovering around 5,000 threshold for about a week and a half.
No variant types other than Delta have been detected in the most recent update.
RISK TO THE UNVACCINATED
Of the day's 428 new cases, 289 were among unvaccinated people.
That group's rate of illness over the last four weeks is 18.1 cases per 100,000 people, much higher than fully vaccinated Quebecers, who are seeing 2.6 cases per 100,000 people.
The risk rises much more when it comes to hospitalization, however: unvaccinated people are now 21.1 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than the vaccinated.
That number is recalculated daily by the province based on data over the last 28 days, and it takes into account the incidence rate by age group.
3,306 FIRST VACCINE DOSES NEWLY GIVEN
Thursdays are consistently the day of the week when vaccinations are highest. Today, the province reported 13,614 new shots in Quebecers' arms, continuing slow but steady growth in the vaccination rate for the last two weeks.
That included 3,306 first doses, as well as 5,718 second doses.
The share of the total population that is vaccinated has now crept above 79 per cent, including children, who are not yet eligible for the vaccine.
Of the eligible population, 90 per cent have at least one dose, and 86 per cent have both doses.
HARDEST-HIT REGIONS
The regions with the highest incidence of coronavirus are currently outside the province's major cities.
Nunavik currently has the highest number of active cases per 100,000 people, at 132. It is followed by Chaudiere-Appalaches at 113 per 100,000.
Laval is next, with 79 cases per 100,000 people, then Montreal at 71 and the Eastern Townships at 69.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winning $70 million Lotto Max ticket sold in Toronto
A winning Lotto Max ticket was sold in Toronto from last nights draw.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Moscow says 50 Ukrainian drones shot down as attacks spark fires at Russian power stations
Ukraine launched a barrage of drones across Russia overnight, the Defence Ministry in Moscow said Saturday, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.