Legault Gave His Take On Why COVID-19 Cases Keep Rising In Quebec

"With all the efforts [...] how is it that there are so many new cases every day?"
Senior Writer

Before announcing that Quebec would be entering an even more intense lockdown, including a curfew with fines for rule-breakers, Premier François Legault gave his take on a key question.

"I'm convinced that it is perhaps the question that many Quebecers are asking themselves as well today," he said in a press conference on January 6

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"With all the efforts [...] how is it that there are so many new cases every day?"

Premier François Legault

"Why? Why with all the efforts we have been making, particularly in the past two weeks [...] with the schools closed, with most businesses closed, how is it that there are so many new cases every day?" 

His answer is that the virus is spreading predominantly due to private gatherings in people's homes. 

According to Legault, "a lot of people," among them vulnerable and elderly people, were infected in their own homes and ended up at the hospital. 

This is the reason, he explained, for the "shock therapy" measures he proceeded to put in place "in order to reduce the number of visits in homes."

According to provincial data, "living and care environments" are where the second-highest proportion of outbreaks — 33.6% — occur. 

The data shows that the highest proportion of active outbreaks — 48.9% — occur in work environments. 

  • Ilana Belfer
  • Editor

    Ilana Belfer (she/her) was an editor for MTL Blog. She's obsessed with great storytelling in all its forms having worked in print, radio, television, theatre, and digital media over the past decade. A graduate of Carleton University’s journalism program, her words have appeared in The Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, The Kit, VICE, Salon, Foodism TO & more — covering everything from cam girls to COVID-19. Ilana can usually be found with her dog André, tracking down Montreal’s prettiest ruelles vertes and tastiest treats.

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