Police say patrols have been stepped up in the areas after officers were called to disperse several gatherings at places of worship, including synagogues, on Friday and Saturday.

Hospitalizations declined for the fifth straight day on Sunday, down by 56 to 1,327.

Police say all three gatherings were held at places of worship and involved over 10 people, the limit for indoor religious gatherings.

Premier François Legault attributed the decline to the curfew, but has said hospitals are too full to lift the new restrictions as scheduled on Feb. 8.

Confined to their homes every night for 10 days, the majority of Quebecers support the new curfew, while nearly one third don't think it is effective.

While the number of new cases recorded in Quebec has declined slightly over the past week, Health Minister Christian Dubé said it's too soon to describe the decrease as a trend.

Organizers say the provincewide curfew — a first in Canada — was dangerous for the population's most vulnerable.

Authorities in Spain insist the new coronavirus variant is not to blame for the resurgence of cases and that the country can avoid a full lockdown even as its hospitals fill up.

Quebec's second opposition party, Quebec solidaire, is calling for people experiencing homelessness to be exempt from the government-imposed curfew.

A Montreal woman's tongue-in-cheek Facebook post aimed at helping others skirt the newly imposed curfew has received plenty of comments.