Quebec reports 64-patient jump in COVID-19 hospitalizations, 32 more deaths

Quebec reported 32 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus on Tuesday and a 64-patient rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Health officials said 2,409 people were hospitalized with the disease after 204 patients were admitted in the past 24 hours and 140 were discharged. There were 90 people listed in intensive care, an increase of four cases over the same period.

Officials also reported 1,670 new COVID-19 cases based on PCR testing, with 12.6 per cent of tests administered coming back positive.

The province has reported a total of 14,906 COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began in March 2020.

Officials said there were 9,416 health-care workers are off the job due to COVID-19.

Quebec’s emergency rooms remain under heavy strain with many over 100 per cent capacity. Health officials had warned in mid-April that the rest of the month would be tough for ERs, with COVID-19 and an unexpected late flu season helping to fill up waiting rooms.

Premier Francois Legault told reporters in Quebec City on Tuesday the backlog is to be expected as the province grapples with the sixth wave.

“In the current context there are (almost) 10,000 employees who are absent, there are surgeries that have been postponed that we have to make up for; I think that’s understandable,” Legault said.

“What we want is to reduce that time in the emergency room half the people who go to the emergency room shouldn’t be at the emergency, they should have been seen on the front line in a private clinic or a community clinic (CLSC) or a family medicine clinic.”

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