As businesses can now operate without a mandatory telework order and bars reopen, Quebec reported seven new COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations dropped by 10.

The Ministry of Health reported that 59 new patients checked into hospital for novel coronavirus care and 69 were discharged, dropping the total hospitalizations to 1,446.

There were four fewer patients in the province's intensive care units after seven were admitted or transferred into an ICU ward and 11 were discharged.

With the seven new deaths, the total number of people who have died since the start of the pandemic is now 13,981 in Quebec.

POSITIVE TESTS DROP BELOW 1,000

New positive infections from PCR tests dropped below 1,000 for the first time since before the Omicron variant wave hit.

There were 845 new infections reported.

The Quebec Institute of Public Health (INSPQ), which reports daily infection totals that are lower than the ones the Ministry of Health releases due to back testing, reported 899 new cases on Nov. 29.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 921,977 positive PCR tests. That number is lower than the actual total as PCR testing is reserved for priority clientele.

Of the 97,358 self-declared rapid tests declared by Quebecers, 75,899 have come back positive including 253 new positive tests declared on Sunday.

There are now 684 active COVID-19 outbreaks.

On Feb. 26, 12,907 samples were analyzed.

VACCINATION DATA

Health-care professionals in the province administered 8,449 more doses of vaccine including 8,376 in the past 24 hours.

The majority of those doses (6,274) were booster shots.

Since the vaccination campaign began, 18,422,302 doses of vaccine have been administered in Quebec, and 305,499 Quebecers received their jab out of province.