MONTREAL -- Quebec public health authorities reported a major spike in the number of COVID-19-related deaths Thursday as 28 new fatalities were reported. 

Since the start of the pandemic, 6,005 people have died due to the disease.

Officials reported that eight people died in the past 24 hours in addition to 20 deaths, which occurred between Oct. 8 and Oct. 13. Also, two people died due to the disease before Oct. 8. Quebec added that two deaths were withdrawn from the overall total as they were found to not be attributable to COVID-19.

Nine deaths were reported in Monteregie, seven were reported in the Quebec City region, three in Montreal, Laval and Chaudiere-Appalaches, and two in the Laurentians and Gaspesie-Magdalen Islands. 

During the past 24 hours, 969 more people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus bringing the total number of cases to 89,963.

Montreal had the highest increase in cases with 296 (38,427 total), followed by Monteregie with 141 new (13,097 total), and the Quebec City region with 93 new cases (6,558 total).

The number of hospitalizations in the province increased with five more people receiving treatment in the province's hospitals for a total of 493. Of those, 83 are in the intensive care ward, an increase of three.

Quebec is reporting that 984 more people have recovered from the disease for a total of 75,469.