Quebec added 882 cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and one new death, bringing the caseload since the start of the pandemic to 441,344.
Health authorities, however, note that 423,075 people have recovered.
The number of active cases has climbed to 6,703, with the seven-day average for daily infections remaining above the 700-mark at 751.
Of the new cases reported on Tuesday, 537 are among people who are unvaccinated or less than 14 days removed from a first dose of vaccine.
The last time new cases were this high in Quebec was on Sept. 11, when 995 new infections were reported.
Hospitalizations are on the rise with 27 new patients admitted and 19 discharged for a total of 211– an increase of eight in the past day. Of those hospitalized, 46 are in the ICU.
The inoculation of children between the ages of five and 11 began at mass vaccination centres across the province on Wednesday.
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It will also be possible for kids in that age group to get a shot at school starting next week. Parents should expect to see consent forms in the next few days.
Bookings for kids’ appointments opened up on Tuesday on the government’s Clic Santé vaccination portal . By Wednesday, 115,300 appointments had already been booked, according to Quebec Premier François Legault.
Legault said there are around 650,000 eligible kids in that age group in the province.
The goal is to have one dose administered by Christmas, with an eight-week delay for the second dose.
The advantages of vaccinating children, Legault said on Tuesday, is to reduce the risk of kids experiencing severe symptoms and also to prevent outbreaks in schools and subsequent school closures.
So far, 79,8 per cent of the population has received at least one shot. That percentage jumps to 91,1 for those aged 12 and over having received at least one dose and 88,8 for those adequately vaccinated.
Third dose booster shots are now available to those aged 70 and over, as well as to those who received two doses of AstraZeneca providing a six-month period has passed since the previous shot.
The virus has claimed the lives of 11,566 Quebecers to date.
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