Montreal Now Has 95 Omicron Cases As Overall COVID-19 Cases Spike

At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Montreal public health said that there are 95 Omicron variant cases in the region. While the number of hospitalizations remains stable, Regional Director of Public Health Dr. Mylène Drouin noted an increase in new cases — and she expects the increase to continue.

"The current situation in Montreal is not really what we were planning or expecting two weeks before Christmas," she said. "I think it commands us to be more agile and resilient facing the Omicron situation."

"What we’re seeing right now is a rapid increase [...] in the number of new cases in Montreal," the director continued.

As of Wednesday morning, two Montreal schools have closed after students tested positive for the Omicron variant.

Dr. Drouin also noted in the press conference that there are currently 95 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Montreal.

Sonia Bélanger, director general of the CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, echoed the public health director's statements.

"We are expecting numbers to go up in the coming weeks," she said. "It's better to not take any risks."

"We're hoping this is not the calm before the storm."

Like the provincial government, the city's health authorities underscored the importance of workers going back to teleworking for the foreseeable future. In regards to any potential holiday festivities, Dr. Drouin recommended caution and safety above all.

Bélanger added that people should only get tested if they have symptoms or have been in contact with some diagnosed with COVID-19 in order to avoid clogging up the city's testing centres.

Quebec reported over 2,300 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday — the most in a single day since January 8.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.