COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know Tuesday

• On Monday, Quebec reported 1,407 people in hospital (an increase of 57 from the previous day), including 69 in intensive care (a decrease of three from the previous day).
• The province reported 2,331 new cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths. 
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 978,924 confirmed cases, and 14,411 people have died.
• The province also reported a total of 18,716,775 doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered, including 8,408 doses in the last 24 hours. 
• 91 per cent of the eligible population in the province (aged five and up) have received one dose of the vaccine; 87 per cent have received two doses, and 53 per cent have received three doses.

*The new cases are those reported to the Quebec government only. They are believed to be an underrepresentation of the virus's spread, given the limited availability of PCR tests and use of home testing kits.

*Quebec's Health Ministry announced it will no longer report its COVID-19 numbers on the weekend.

The Quebec government is expected to announce its decision regarding the timeline for lifting indoor masking rules for public spaces today.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Premier François Legault hinted the province was leaning toward extending the measure past April 15 for a couple more weeks, but he said to not expect any new restrictions in the face of the sixth wave.

Over the weekend, Quebec's interim public health director Dr. Luc Boileau said he was 'seriously considering' recommending the mask mandate be maintained due to the severity of the wave. 

"We certainly expect to provide a recommendation in that direction," he said. 

He said the government is calling on Quebecers to take precautions and to be informed about the risks of contracting the virus before doing an activity that involves other people. 

Quebec Public Health made its recommendation about the future of masking to the government yesterday, and Boileau will provide an update on the situation today at 11 a.m. 

Up to 32,000 daily COVID-19 cases last week: study

Meanwhile, there were between 18,000 and 32,000 new COVID-19 infections per day last week across Quebec, according to an estimate released Friday by Montreal-based research centre, CIRANO. 

The data indicates a rise in cases of between 20 per cent and 40 per cent over the previous week.

"It's a very significant rise — non-negligible and worrisome — especially for those who are vulnerable to COVID and to health workers,'' said Roxane Borges Da Silva, a professor at Université de Montréal's school of public health who worked on the research.

The Quebec government, she said, should strengthen its messaging on COVID-19 and reconsider its plan to lift mask mandates in mid-April.

Hold off on lifting mask measures, experts say

Montreal virologist Benoit Barbeau says it would be prudent to see how the contagious Omicron subvariant, known as BA.2, plays out in Europe before making a decision about masking in Quebec. 

"I'd give it at least one week to better appreciate how the situation is evolving and how much we will  be capable of maintaining transmission and the increase in the number in hospital cases."

Last week, a top infectious diseases specialist in Quebec said the sixth wave of the pandemic could worsen if the government forgoes some restrictions, such as masking. She said the government should reduce capacity in some businesses where the risk of infection is greater, such as restaurants. 

"The pandemic is not over, and this sixth wave is probably going to be as bad as the fifth one. We should at least have the same sense of urgency," said Dr. Cécile Tremblay.

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