The province has a total of 3,411 patients infected with COVID-19, down 14 from the previous day.
We have to go back to mid-December to note a drop in COVID-19 patients in Quebec. From December 15 to 16, total hospitalizations had decreased by 4. Except for this date, they have been increasing since the beginning of December.
Of the 3,411 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized, 285 are in intensive care, a stable number from the previous day. Quebec estimates at 85% the rate of patients in intensive care who were admitted mainly because of COVID. For all hospitalizations, this rate drops to 50%.
With 98 additional deaths, Quebec has brought its death toll to 12,639 since the start of the pandemic. You have to go back to April 5, 2021 to see a higher number (100) of deaths in 24 hours.
Since January 1, 917 deaths have been added, including 528 in the last 7 days alone, which brings the number of daily deaths for a week to 75. In comparison, last December, there were on average fewer 5 deaths per day.
A decline in hospitalizations could begin
According to the most recent projections of the National Institute of Excellence in Health and Social Services (INESSS) released on Thursday, Quebec may begin to forecast a decrease in the number of new hospitalizations, reaching approximately 200 per day by the end of January
.
At the same time, theINESSS presage a slight decrease in the number of regular beds occupied by COVID patients, to about 3,000
. The Institute recalls, however, that this total number of hospitalizations4 [de délestage] recently defined by the Ministry of Health”,”text”:”still remains well above level4 [de délestage] recently defined by the Ministry of Health”}}”>always remains well beyond level 4 [de délestage] recently defined by the Ministry of Health.
The increasing pressure exerted by COVID patients on intensive care resources should also stabilize around level 3 of load shedding, with around 300 infected patients admitted. L’INESSS also assesses that% of hospitalized cases require transfer to intensive care”,”text”:”about 11% of hospitalized cases require transfer to intensive care”}}”>about 11% of hospitalized cases require a move to intensive care.
It is important to remember that the model used cannot predict sudden changes in trend [à la hausse ou à la baisse]. As it seems that a downward trend has started, the projections could overestimate the occupancy of beds
, however, warns the Institute.
Spread and vaccination
As for new cases, there were 6,528 on Thursday. It should be remembered, however, that these are cases declared by PCR tests and that these are now reserved for health personnel and vulnerable populations, which offers an incomplete portrait of the spread.
Be that as it may, the positivity rate is down slightly, to 12%. Over 7 days, it is estimated on average at 16%, which remains high, despite the drop, since a rate above 5% means that the spread of the virus is not controlled.
The province currently has 1,632 active outbreaks. Note, however, that since January 7, the entry of outbreaks affecting settings other than those related to health, for example schools, daycares or businesses, is optional and left to the discretion of public health departments. . So, again, the portrait remains incomplete.
On the vaccination front, Quebec reports that 110,351 additional doses have been administered, or 104,205 in the last 24 hours and 6,146 before January 19, for a total of 16,801,574 doses administered since the start of the campaign.
Currently, 36% of the eligible population has received its third dose of vaccine and Quebec estimates that 82% of the population aged 5 and over has received its two doses.