Quebec reports 579 new COVID-19 cases, mostly among unvaccinated

Quebec is reporting 579 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and no additional deaths related to the virus.

Sunday’s infection number ends a three-day run of over 600 new daily cases for the province.

Public health data shows that of the 579 new cases, 416 of the infections are reported in people who are unvaccinated or are less than two weeks removed from their first dose.

READ MORE: About 30,000 health workers in public system not vaccinated against COVID-19, Quebec health minister says

Hospitalizations declined by five to 126, while the number of people in intensive care dropped by two to 36.

Health Minister Christian Dubé said on Twitter that the province had reported only 122 cases of COVID-19 on this day last year.

However, the hospital numbers are much closer — 126 today compared to 112 last year — which Dubé said is a sign that vaccines are successful in helping people avoid severe illness.

The province also added 30,682 vaccine doses to its total, including 23,655 second doses.

Health authorities say the risk of infection is more than eight times higher for people who are not vaccinated while the risk of hospitalization is up to 22 times higher.

–with files from the Canadian Press