COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know on Wednesday
No surpises in a report by Canadian military detailing challenges long-term care homes are facing: premier
The latest:
- Quebec has 49,139 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 4,228 people have died, an increase of 541 cases and 89 deaths since Tuesday.
- There are 1,378 people in hospital (a decrease of 25), including 184 in intensive care (an increase of three). Here's a guide to the numbers.
- The Canadian military issued a report Wednesday that said long-term care institutions in Quebec are still not following guidelines aimed at limiting the spread of the virus.
- Some COVID-19 testing sites in Montreal will be operating on reduced hours this week, with the city under a heat alert until Friday.
Premier François Legault said there were no surprises in a report by the Canadian military, detailing the challenges Quebec's long-term care facilities are facing.
The report says the division between "hot" and "cold" zones, proper use of protective equipment and staffing shortages are still major issues.
Patients at long-term care homes, known as CHSLDs, account for more than 60 per cent of COVID-19 deaths in the province.
The report comes as long-term care homes deal with the impact of the extreme heat and humidity on top of the pandemic.
More than two-thirds of residents' rooms in the facilities do not have air conditioning, and while most CHSLDs have at least one zone that is air-conditioned, shared spaces indoors are off-limit because of the risk of spreading the virus.
Ways to beat heat in pandemic
Dr. Mylène Drouin, the Montreal's public health director, is reminding those who are in self-isolation because of COVID-19 symptoms that they need to stay in self-isolation.
She recommends taking cold baths and keeping window curtains closed to stay cool at home.
For those who can leave the house, the city has reopened most of its green spaces, and many splash pads have opened with new safety measures that respect physical distancing.
Testing expanded in the Mauricie
Health authorities in the Mauricie region are hoping that bringing testing right to residents' doorsteps will help them track the spread of COVID-19 there.
A Trois-Rivières city bus and a decontamination unit from the Shawinigan fire department have been revamped to offer curbside testing, starting in the region's larger cities this week.
