Quebec reported 550 new cases and one additional death Wednesday as the fourth wave of the COVID-19 health crisis gains steam.
The number of pandemic-related hospitalizations rose by eight to 110. This includes 33 patients in intensive care, a bump of four compared to the previous day.
Health Minister Christian Dubé said the province can “clearly see” the impact of rising case counts on the hospital network.
“Yesterday, 19 new people were admitted to the hospital,” he wrote on Twitter. “Of these 19 people, 17 were not adequately vaccinated.”
The province recorded administering 27,678 doses of the novel coronavirus vaccine since the last update, including 26,748 in a 24-hour period. Over the course of the campaign, more than 12.1 million shots have been given.
Dubé said more than 8,000 appointments were booked for a first shot in a single day.
“We continue to seek out new people every day to increase our immunization coverage,” he said.
When it comes to screening, 18,442 tests were carried out Monday. It is the most recent day for which that information is available.
The province’s caseload reached 386,015 and the pandemic has killed 11,284 Quebecers to date.
Meanwhile, recoveries from the virus topped 370,000 as of Wednesday.
Vaccine passports available
Quebec’s vaccine passports are also available for download as of Wednesday, with the government’s goal being to keep businesses open and prevent sweeping lockdowns this fall.
Proof of vaccination is necessary for anyone 13 and older to access certain non-essential services — such as restaurants, bars and gyms — as of Sept. 1.
The passport will also apply to a wide range of other activities and businesses. This includes cinemas, bowling alleys, festivals and other outdoor events involving more than 50 people, as well as outdoor sports that involve frequent or prolonged contact.
Residents have been emailed a quick response code by the Health Department as vaccination proof, which can be linked to the application, while businesses will be required to download a special application to read the codes.
—with files from The Canadian Press
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