Quebec reports 88 new deaths from COVID-19, but only eight more hospitalizations
Quebec saw a net increase of only eight hospitalizations Wednesday, and a slight decrease in ICU cases, reflecting provincial public health authorities' observations a day earlier that the pace of COVID-19 hospitalizations is slowing.
Deaths in the province, however, remain very high, with 88 newly reported, just one less than Tuesday's count.
Hospital turnover also remains quite high, with 359 new admittances -- there were also many discharges, however, leading to the small net increase.
There are four fewer people overall in intensive care, with 42 newly admitted and 46 newly discharged.
Overall, those hospital numbers continue to strain Quebec to its maximum capacity, with 3,425 people currently in hospital for the virus and 285 in intensive care.
On Tuesday, health authorities also released a guide for hospitals on how to decrease the overall level of care in coming days if they do max out their capacity. This would mean providing many non-COVID-19 patients with less intensive care for the time being until the situation stabilizes.
There are 6,123 new COVID-19 cases registered as of Wednesday, but testing numbers remain unreliable since PCR testing has been limited to a small segment of Quebecers such as health-care workers and teachers.
Of those tests, the positivity rate currently stands at 13.2 per cent.
ALMOST 115,000 NEW VACCINATIONS
Tuesday was a big day for vaccines, with almost 115,000 shots given out. A total of 35 per cent of Quebecers now have their boosters.
Younger Quebecers are now getting boosted in huge numbers. The majority of Tuesday's newly given boosters went to people aged 40 to 59, but those under 40 also make up a big portion.
In total, about 69,000 people in these two age groups got boosted within the day.
On Quebec's first back-to-school day since the holidays, however, there was little sign that vaccination of children under 12 is ramping up.
It's going slowly, with only 632 new first doses given to this age group on Monday. At this point, the number of daily second doses for children aged five to 11 is often equaling or even outpacing first doses, and on Tuesday it was 499.
QUEBEC'S NORTHERN REGIONS FARING THE WORST
Montreal, Laval and the surrounding areas are no longer leading the province in cases per capita.
The hardest-hit regions on a per-capita basis are mostly in the north. The highest rate right now is in Nunavik, followed by Terres-Cries-de-la-Baie-James.
Those two are followed by Chaudiere-Appalaches, Mauricie-Centre-du-Quebec, Nord-du-Quebec and Cote-Nord.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.