Quebec is reporting 1,037 new cases and 12 additional deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus as the second wave of the pandemic continues.
Health authorities say one death linked to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, occurred in the last 24 hours. Eleven fatalities date back to October. However, one previously reported death has been withdrawn from the province’s death toll after it was mistakenly attributed to the health crisis.
The hardest-hit province has seen 108,018 cases to date, while 92,396 recoveries have been reported. The health crisis has claimed the lives of 6,283 Quebecers.
The number of hospitalizations jumped by three to 499. Of them, 81 patients are in intensive care, three fewer than the previous day.
When it comes to screening, the most recent data shows 22,767 tests were given Saturday. So far, Quebec has conducted 3,153,926 tests.
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Quebec Premier François Legault said Monday that tightened measures to curb the spread of the virus and overseeing the mental health of Quebecers is a “fragile balance” as the pandemic drags on.
Legault says his government is worried the pandemic is causing a rise in mental health problems and says it is hiring more therapists and psychologists to meet people’s needs.
“I would really like to lift the measures but currently we haven’t seen a significant drop in cases,” he said. “So we hope in the coming days, in the coming weeks, there will be one.”
The restrictions in designated coronavirus red zones, such as Montreal and Quebec City, have been extended until Nov. 23. This includes the shutdown of bars, gyms and museums as well as a ban on most indoor and outdoor gatherings with few exceptions.
The government has also placed the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region on red alert, with most of the measures coming into effect Monday.
— With files from the Canadian Press