Quebec reported 1,107 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, the second most it has ever recorded in a 24-hour stretch since the start of the pandemic.
On May 3, the province did announce 2,209 cases, but that was in part due to a data error that missed 1,317 positive cases in April. The record for a single day spike was set on May 1 with 1,110.
This latest update marks the ninth straight day that Canada’s worst-hit province has recorded at least 600 cases. Before the recent stretch, it had not hit that mark since May 26. Since then, it has also experienced multiple stretches where the province consistently reported fewer than 100 daily cases as it contained the spread of COVID-19.
Since it recorded 1,052 new patients on Friday, Quebec has now announced at least 1,000 cases on two straight occasions. It’s a grim feat no other province has accomplished even once throughout the pandemic.
Of the latest 1,107 cases, 411 were identified in Montreal, 153 in Quebec CIty, 142 in Montérégie, 86 in Laval, 65 in Chaudière-Appalaches, 63 in Laurentides, 55 in Mauricie-et-Centre-du-Québec, 53 in Lanaudière and 23 each in Estrie and Outaouais. Of Quebec’s 18 regions, four of them reported zero new cases.
On Monday, enhanced restrictions under the province’s red alert (the highest) came into effect for the greater Montreal region, Chaudiere-Appalaches and the majority of the Quebec City region. The restrictions on gatherings and businesses are expected to last at least 28 days.
On Friday, Quebec Premier Francois Legault said that the “situation is really critical,” and that the province “might need to close other activities in the coming days.”
In the latest 24-hour stretch, one person has died, however the province added nine other fatalities from previous dates to its death toll (5,867). In addition, 795 more people have recovered, which brings the province’s active case count to 7,035, the highest in Canada.
Quebec’s testing numbers are reflective of its output from two days prior. Most recently, it completed 30,932 tests for COVID-19, as it continues to push its capacity.
Of the province’s currently infected individuals, there are 326 in hospital and 60 in intensive care, up by 24 and 11 since Friday, respectively.
