COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know this weekend
CBC News | Posted: September 25, 2021 1:20 PM | Last Updated: September 26, 2021
Masks now mandatory in common areas of seniors' homes in several parts of province
- Quebec reported 719 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and two new deaths.
- Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 407,943 confirmed cases and 11,356 people have died.
- There are 297 people in hospital (a decrease of four), including 90 in intensive care (same as Saturday).
- 19,155 vaccine doses administered were reported for a total of 12,818,218 doses administered in Quebec.
- 89 per cent of the eligible population in the province (age 12 and up) has received one dose of vaccine, and 84 per cent has received two doses.
Note: Quebec's Health Ministry does not publish the number of vaccine doses administered over the weekend.
The province's Health Ministry is warning Quebecers about fake vaccination passport apps that could be available on Google Play.
In a statement released on Friday, the ministry said it received information about people copying the visuals of the app and getting their versions approved for download.
"Steps were taken with Google in order to remove these fake applications as soon as possible," the statement read.
According to the ministry, here's how people can make sure they are downloading the right app:
- The name of the app should be Vaxicode for residents and Vaxicode Verif for businesses, without any extra words before or after and without any accents on any of the letters.
- The province's apps ask for access to your phone camera and your images folder, nothing more.
- The province's apps do not display ads
- The fake apps do not allow people to download QR codes.
Coroner still has unanswered questions regarding Herron
The inquest into dozens of deaths that occurred at a long-term care home in the West Island has ended, for now.
47 people died at CHSLD Herron during the pandemic's first wave. At the time, many of the home's 133 residents lived in apalling conditions.
The inquest was scheduled to end on Thursday, but Quebec coroner Géhane Kamel has to extend it with three more days because she said she was left with too many unanswered questions following testimony she described as contradictory.
The inquest will resume at the end of October. Here's a look at what we have learned so far.
New masking rules for private seniors' homes
Masks will be mandatory in common areas of private seniors' residences in several parts of Quebec — including in Montreal, Laval, the Eastern Townships and Outaouais — starting next week, the Health Ministry said Friday.
Health officials said there were 67 active cases of COVID-19 at such residences across Quebec. Nearly half those cases were linked to an outbreak at Manoir Gouin in Montreal, where 32 residents have active cases of COVID-19, and three have died.
There have been no other deaths linked to active COVID-19 outbreaks in the province's private seniors' homes, where people live with more autonomy than in long-term care homes, known as CHSLDs.
Health officials said there were 41 cases of COVID-19 linked to CHSLDs and two deaths connected with active outbreaks in those centres.
New law against protesting
On Thursday, Quebec passed a law that makes it illegal to protest within 50 metres of schools, daycares, hospitals, medical clinics, mobile clinics, COVID-19 vaccination sites and testing centres.
Law 105 was fast-tracked and adopted several hours after being tabled by Quebec Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault.
The law is a direct response to several anti-vaccine protests that have taken place outside primary and secondary schools in Montreal in recent weeks. Other such protests have been held outside hospitals.
"We're taking action to protect our children, protect our nurses [and] protect our patients," Premier François Legault said on Thursday morning.
Top COVID-19 stories
- Groups say Quebec's bonus pay for nurses won't solve staffing crisis.
- The owner of Herron says there was chaos and confusion at the height of the nursing home's crisis.
- Pfizer-BioNTech say COVID-19 vaccine induced strong immune response in kids aged 5-11.
- Quebec says gathering teachers' personal data is essential to understanding vaccination rate.
- Nurses recall scenes of neglect, disorder and horror at the inquiry into the Herron long-term care home.
- Montreal public health asks post-secondary schools to help with COVID-19 contact tracing.
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
- 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.