Quebec's COVID-19 Hospitalization Numbers Are The Highest They've Been Since May

The health minister called the situation "critical."
Reporter

As rumours of a province-wide curfew circulate, Quebec reported a total of 1,393 COVID-19 patients in-hospital — the highest number of hospitalizations since mid-May.

On May 25, the Quebec National Institute of Public Health (INSPQ) reported 1,401 hospitalizations in the province. The numbers decreased as time went on, then began curving upward again at the end of September.

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1,393 Quebec COVID-19 patients in-hospital

The province's hospitalizations increased by 76 on January 5, while the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units increased by eight, for a total of 202 COVID-19 patients in Quebec ICUs.

Just over two weeks ago, Health Minister Christian Dubé warned Quebecers that hospital beds were being placed in hotels and banquet halls because COVID-19 patients were nearing capacity. 

Dubé reiterated in a January 5 tweet that the situation in Quebec hospitals is "critical." 

On January 5, Quebec recorded a single-day increase of 2,641 new coronavirus cases in the province. It recorded 47 new deaths, with 13 having occurred in the last 24 hours.

Quebec administered 6,221 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, for a total of 38,984 doses administered to Quebecers since the vaccine was approved for public use.

  • Lea Sabbah
  • Lea Sabbah was a Staff Writer for MTL Blog. Previously, Lea was a radio host on CJLO 1690 AM and her work has been published by Global News, the Toronto Star, Le Devoir and the National Observer. In 2019, she was part of the investigative team that uncovered lead in Montreal's drinking water — a story which won Quebec's Grand Prix Judith-Jasmin. She's a graduate of the journalism program at Concordia University.

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