Quebec says COVID-19 spike likely coming, recommends fourth booster shot for some

Quebec's public health director says there will likely be another spike in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations and has told regional health boards to prepare for it in the coming days as a sub-variant of Omicron spreads through the province. 

"We expected that," Public Health Director Dr. Luc Boileau said of rising infections during a news conference Wednesday.  

The BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron now accounts for half of new infections in the province, but health authorities stopped short of declaring a sixth wave of the pandemic.

Mask mandates in most public spaces are still set to be lifted in mid-April, though the rise in infections has dashed any plans to repeal them before that. 

ADDITIONAL BOOSTERS RECOMMENDED FOR SOME

Vulnerable populations in Quebec are expected to get the green light for an additional dose of a COVID-19 vaccine next week.

Boileau said public health will make the recommendation to the government, and that an immunization campaign will begin next Wednesday for residents in CHSLDs and RPAs, those over 80, and people with compromised immune systems.  

New projections published Wednesday by the Institut national d'excellence en sante et en services sociaux (INESSS) suggests an "upward trend in the number of new hospitalizations as well as the number of regular beds occupied by COVID patients" in the next two weeks.

However, Boileau said hospitalizations are not expected to rise as quickly as they did during Omicron's explosive arrival in Quebec.   

"We're not suprised by the rise in cases, and we're not expecting [hospitalization] rates to be as high," said Boileau. 

The number of patients in intensive care is expected to remain relatively stable. 

The INESSS noted that COVID-19 represents a secondary diagnosis for over half of regular COVID-19 patients and about a third of ICU patients, meaning patients enter hospital for another reason but then test positive.

The report said that hospitalizations fell for a ninth straight week between March 12 and 18, though the decline was smaller than in previous weeks.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Quebec government reported two more deaths due to COVID-19 and a slight rise in the number of people in intensive care.

The overall number of people hospitalized with the novel coronavirus dropped by nine, to 1,034, after 99 people entered hospital and 108 left. There were 50 people in intensive care, an increase of four.

The number of cases detected by PCR testing rose to 2,111, although that number presents only a partial portrait due to the limited availability of tests.

There were 3,496 vaccine doses administered in the previous 24 hours.

With files from The Canadian Press

 

COVID-19 CASES IN QUEBEC
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