Quebec reports under 900 COVID-19 cases for first time in about a month

Quebec is reporting 889 new COVID-19 cases on Monday — the lowest daily case count in a month — and eight more coronavirus-related deaths.

Health officials say hospitalizations increased by 10 to 664, and 167 people are in intensive care — an increase of two from Sunday.

Authorities say of the eight deaths, one happened in the last 24 hours. Quebec’s death toll now stands at 10,886.

On Sunday, Health Minister Christian Dubé wrote on Twitter that the situation remains fragile but there’s hope on the horizon — reminding Quebecers that the province will open up vaccines to the general population at the end of May.

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He encouraged citizens to keep up protective efforts in the coming weeks. Earlier this weekend Dubé reminded Quebecers that 60 per cent of new infections are reported in people under 40.

“Young adults are sick for longer and wait longer before going to hospital,” he warned. “No one is safe from the virus and its variants.”

Public health says 41,731 doses of the vaccine were administered on Sunday, and 925 were added to the toll from before April 25, for a total of 2,871,140 since the beginning of the vaccination rollout in the province.

At least one dose of the vaccine has been given to around 33 per cent of the province’s population, according to officials.

Quebec has reported more than 345,697 infections since the pandemic hit the province. At least 324,441 cases have recovered.

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