COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know on Monday
CBC News | Posted: August 16, 2021 10:20 AM | Last Updated: August 16, 2021
Trudeau making appearance in Longueuil today on 1st day of election campaign amid fourth wave
- Quebec reported 409 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday (1,163 new cases since Friday) and one new death since the last update.
- Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 381,996 confirmed cases and 11,242 people have died.
- There are 82 people in hospital (an increase of two), including 27 in intensive care (no change).
- 35,987 doses of vaccine were administered in the past 24 hours for a total of 11,813,442 doses administered in Quebec.
- 85 per cent of the eligible population in the province (age 12 and up) has received one dose of vaccine, and 73 per cent have received two doses.
COVID-19 data is no longer updated by Quebec's Health Ministry on weekends or on public holidays.
The number of young adults getting vaccinated in Quebec is finally close to reaching the provincial target of 75 per cent, said Health Minister Christian Dubé.
Though the rate of 18- to 29-year-olds with one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine had been lagging in the province, Dubé said in a tweet Monday that the age group was only 8,841 appointments short of reaching that target.
He also said 76 per cent of 30- to 34-year-olds in Quebec have now received at least one dose.
Yesterday, Dubé gave an unofficial update on COVID-19 case numbers on Twitter, noting public health officials are keeping a close eye on the increase across the province. He called on people to remain vigilant.
1/3 of recent cases in Montreal linked to air travellers
Just as it did last winter, the province is asking the federal government to tighten rules around air travel in hopes of slowing the growing spread of COVID-19.
Dubé wrote a letter to his federal counterpart, Patty Hajdu, asking her to review rules regarding quarantine and to speed up testing for returning travellers.
Since July 5, citizens and permanent residents returning from abroad do not need to quarantine, but they are tested for COVID-19.
In his letter, Dubé told Hajdu that it can take up to seven days for the results to come in.
"These delays mean that travellers who test positive but are exempted from quarantine rules can become transmission vectors," Dubé wrote in the letter that was obtained by Radio-Canada.
On Thursday, Montreal Public Health said about a third of recent cases in Montreal are linked to air travellers.
Federal election and COVID-19 risk
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in town after announcing Sunday that he had received approval from Governor General Mary Simon to launch a federal election.
With campaigning underway and Canadians heading to the polls on Sept. 20, epidemiologist and cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos says as long as public health measures remain in place and mail-in ballots and advanced voting are accessible, the election should be relatively low risk.
"The politicians are, I hope, largely going to be campaigning outside of the traditional venues of large political rallies," Labos said. "What we don't want is large numbers of people gathering together in one place, because that's how outbreaks happen."
WATCH | Legault says province is ready for fourth wave
Top COVID-19 stories
- Public health officials in Laval and Montreal worry about the emerging 4th wave.
- There won't be classroom bubbles or masks in class when Quebec students return this fall.
- No doubt' Canada now in 4th wave of COVID-19 as cases spike across much of the country
- The pandemic forced many Quebecers out of jobs in the service industry. That may be a good thing.
- Canada was an outlier on mixing COVID-19 vaccines, but more countries now following suit.
- Quebec study aims to develop treatment for COVID-19 long-haulers.
- Pandemic travel restrictions are leaving children of temporary residents stranded abroad.
- Here's what Quebec can learn from other regions with vaccination passport systems.
- Why the delta variant is spreading so fast — and what that means for Canadians.
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, vomiting).
- Sore throat, runny or stuffy nose.
- Generalized muscle pain.
- Headache.
- Fatigue.
- Loss of appetite.
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.
To reserve an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine, you can go on the online portal quebec.ca/covidvaccine. You can also call 1-877-644-4545.