Quebec reported 2,038 new COVID-19 cases and 44 additional deaths linked to the novel coronavirus on Saturday.
The province’s Health Department said six fewer people were listed in hospital for a total of 1,005, with one more intensive-care case for a total of 142.
Of the 44 deaths, two were reported in the previous 24 hours while 39 fell between Dec. 12 and Dec. 17.
On Friday Quebecers were asked by health officials to avoid emergency rooms unless “really necessary” as hospitalizations linked to COVID-19 had risen by 50 per cent in the past three weeks and health-care workers said there has been “unbelievable” demand on the system.
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Health Minister Christian Dubé said the province crossed a line by topping more than 1,000 patients in hospitals to be treated for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, this week.
There are 10 hospitals in Quebec — including the Lakeshore General and Verdun hospitals in Montreal — that are currently on the verge of overflowing, he added.
Quebec has had 174,839 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 7,715 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
An additional 1,847 are considered recovered for a total of 149,245 resolved cases.
Authorities say 715 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered on Friday and 4,020 long-term care residents and health workers have received the first of two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine since Monday.
–With files from the Canadian Press and Kalina Laframboise, Global News
