Quebec reports 44 new COVID-19 deaths, highest rise in a year

MONTREAL -

Quebec saw a sharp increase in deaths due to COVID-19 on Saturday with the province reporting that 44 more people have died due to the disease.

The last time the Quebec Institute of Public Health (INSPQ) reported that many deaths was Jan. 27, 2021 when 45 deaths were reported. The INSPQ numbers differ to the daily COVID-19 numbers as further investigation results in adjustments.

Saturday's death numbers are the highest since the vaccination campaign began in the province.

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HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO CLIMB UPWARDS

COVID-19 hospitalizations also continued to rise in Quebec with the total number increasing by 163 to 2,296. Of those, 245 are in intensive care wards, an increase of 16.

The health ministry reports that 422 more people checked into the hospital for treatment and 259 were discharged. Of the new patients, 255 were double vaccinated more than two weeks prior to checking in, 153 were unvaccinated or received a first dose less than two weeks prior and 14 received a single dose more than two weeks prior to checking into the hospital.

Of those 31 patients transferred or admitted to ICUs, 20 were double vaccinated and 11 were unvaccinated.

The ministry says you are 7.6 times more likely to require hospitalization if unvaccinated.

Of the total population of Quebec (8,547,833 people), 6,498,098 people have received both doses of vaccine, 1,496,740 people are unvaccinated or received one dose of vaccine less than 14 days prior, and 552,995 people have their first dose more than two weeks prior.

ONE-IN-FOUR TESTING POSITIVE

The province also reported 15,928 more infections from 59,499 samples meaning the positivity rate is 24.5 per cent.

Public health officials note the actual number of new infections is probably much higher as they have asked people with mild symptoms to stay home and isolate to allow those in specific domains to access PCR testing.

There are 1,150 active COVID-19 outbreaks in the province being monitored.