• At a press conference Tuesday, François Legault took some time to offer comforting words to the public.
• He also said during a question period that "a glass of wine can help" with stress.
• Visit MTLBlog for more headlines.

At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Premier François Legault took some time to offer some comforting words to the public. The short address came as the number of COVID-19 cases in the province once again increased substantially. Legault underlined that the next few weeks will be among the most critical and urged residents to stay home and respect the established health regulations. 

"It's not easy what we're going through right now," the Premier admitted.

"For entrepreneurs, for workers, for our seniors, for our families and our children, it is stressful. That is normal. We understand that. We have to remember that it is temporary." 

"What is reassuring is that we are all in this together. We're going to help each other. It's going to be okay."

"And the most important thing to remember is that we're doing this to save lives. The sooner we all follow-through, the sooner we can get back to normal."

It was an unusually nurturing side of the commanding Premier.

The number of COVID-19 cases broke 1,000 in Quebec on Tuesday and, along with the more stringent regulations, many people have expressed fear and anxiety.

"It's important to follow the recommended rules and stay home until the spread of the virus subsides. The sooner we all comply with the instructions, the sooner we will return to normal life," added Legault. 

In a moment of levity, while answering reporters' questions, he also urged Quebecers to take some time to destress.

"You have to do some exercise, so have a walk, but, sometimes, a glass of wine may help," he said, offering perhaps a glimpse of his own private life and calling to mind the viral image of the wine mom — a comforting parental figure who enjoys a glass of red every once in a while.

In addition to further reassuring the Quebec public, Legault made another series of important announcements related to the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Quebec hopes to slow down the proliferation of the novel coronavirus in the coming days. There's been evidence of community transmission, however, which might complicate things. 

READ ALSO: Quebec Now Has 1013 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, Up From 628 Monday

According to the government, the increase in cases is due to a reduction in test waiting times. 

A jump Monday from 219 to 628 cases was further due to a change in what is considered "confirmed cases" to include those that haven't been verified by the Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec (LSPQ).

Legault additionally highlighted that Quebec is working closely with the federal and provincial governments to ensure the delivery of medical supplies and assistance. 

He assured that the province has enough medical equipment and supplies to do more tests over the next few weeks. 

Finally, the Premier guaranteed Quebecers that there is plenty of food to go around and warned against panic-buying supplies. 

His reassurances were a welcome break from the daily torrent of troubling news.

The public, meanwhile, is overwhelmingly confident in his leadership. A whopping 94% of respondents to one survey held favourable views of his handling of the crisis.

Quebec health officials released guidelines for individuals to follow to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the province. You can read about them here.

More information on hygiene practices during the pandemic is available on the government of Canada's website here.

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