COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know this weekend
CBC News | Posted: October 10, 2020 12:23 PM | Last Updated: October 11, 2020
Premier François Legault is exhorting Quebecers to stay home for Thanksgiving
- Quebec reported 942 new cases of COVID-19 and three more deaths on Sunday. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 86,133 confirmed cases in the province and 5,953 people have died.
- There are 437 people in hospital (seven fewer than Saturday), including 72 in intensive care (a decrease of one). Here's a guide to the numbers.
- Having trouble keeping track of what's now closed? Consult our list.
Another part of Quebec has tipped into red on the province's colour-coded COVID-19 alert map.
Residents of Gatineau and MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais in the Outaouais region will now be subjected to more stringent public security measures. The region reported 53 new infections on Saturday.
The change comes as Quebecers celebrate the Thanksgiving long weekend. But Premier François Legault has a message: stay home, and don't visit loved ones and friends.
"It's tempting [to visit], but please just pick up the phone, call your mother, your father, your friends. It's simple math: if we want to reduce the number of [COVID-19] cases, we have to reduce the number of contacts. And we have a chance this weekend," he said in Quebec City on Friday.
Provincial forecasts indicate hospital capacity could be stretched to the breaking point by the end of the month in many areas, including Montreal and Laval, unless the growth rate of recent weeks is slowed down. New cases topped 1,000 again on Saturday for the sixth time in the last seven days.
Are you confused about what you can and can't do in a red zone? We've answered the most common questions we've received in the video below.
Top COVID-19 stories today
- Getting together for Thanksgiving is a bad idea. Here's why you shouldn't do it.
- From Montreal to Quebec City and all points in between, most of the province is in the red zone.
- As cases soar, Quebec's premier must confront a health crisis and fraying social bonds.
- VIDEO | Against all odds, this 49-year-old nurse survived COVID-19.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
- Fever.
- New or worsening cough.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Sudden loss of smell without a stuffy nose.
- Gastrointestinal issues (such as nausea, diarrhea).
If you think you may have COVID-19, the government asks that you call 1‑877‑644‑4545 to schedule an appointment at a screening clinic.
Quebec government reminders for preventing the spread of COVID-19:
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Wear a mask or face covering when physical distancing is not possible. Wearing a mask is mandatory in enclosed public spaces across the province.
- Stay at least two metres away from other people as much as possible.
- Self-isolate for 14 days after returning from a stay outside the country.