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Quebec adds 436 new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations stabilize

Click to play video: 'Quebec mandates COVID-19 vaccinations for health-care providers who work with patients'
Quebec mandates COVID-19 vaccinations for health-care providers who work with patients
Quebec Premier François Legault announced that the province is mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for health-care workers who are in contact with patients as the province deals with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. "The fourth wave is here" Legault stated on Tuesday. He also announced that masks will be mandatory in classrooms in universities and CEGEPs, the province’s junior colleges, as students head back to class. The government is also consulting with public health authorities about tightening the mask mandate in elementary and high schools in the coming days, Legault added – Aug 17, 2021

Quebec continued to see an uptick in COVID-19 infections Wednesday, with the province reporting 436 new cases and one additional death.

The number of hospitalizations remained stable at 88. This includes 28 patients in intensive care, an increase of one in the past 24 hours.

The vaccination campaign saw another 42,568 doses given since the last update. In Quebec, more than 11.8 million shots have been given since the rollout started.

Health Minister Christian Dubé said 7,568 Quebecers rolled up their sleeves to get their first shot on Tuesday. More than 8,500 appointments were made the same day for a first dose, too.

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“It is important to continue to widen our vaccination coverage to slow the progression of the variant and limit hospitalizations and deaths,” he wrote on Twitter.

READ MORE: Quebec to mandate vaccinations for health-care workers, masks for university students

Meanwhile, 18,619 tests were administered Monday, the most recent day for which that information is available.

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“Even if you are fully vaccinated, it is important to get tested if you have symptoms similar to those of COVID,” Dubé said. “It gives us the most accurate picture of the epidemiological situation.”

The province has seen 382,755 novel coronavirus cases to date. The pandemic has killed 11,278 Quebecers so far, though 35 additional deaths were added to the tally on Wednesday stemming from earlier in the health crisis.

“This is a catch-up in the entry of deaths that occurred before March 21, 2021 in the Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec region,” the government’s statement reads.

Recoveries from the virus have topped 368,000.

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