Quebec officials report first case of coronavirus variant that emerged in India
Posted April 21, 2021 5:13 pm.
MONTREAL _ A case of a coronavirus variant that first emerged in India has been found in Quebec, the province’s Health Department said Wednesday.
It’s the first known case of the B.1.617 variant reported in the province, according to Quebec’s public health institute.
The case was detected in the Mauricie and Centre-du-Quebec region, west of Quebec City, the Institut national de sante publique du Quebec said.
The news came as Quebec reported 1,217 new cases of COVID-19 and a 22-patient jump in hospitalizations.
Health officials said 716 people are in hospital _ the first time since mid-February the number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations has risen above 700. They said 178 people are in intensive care, a rise of one from the day prior.
Officials are also reporting six more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, including one that took place within the previous 24 hours.
The province said 54,410 doses of vaccine were administered Tuesday, for a total of 2,503,910.
Earlier on Wednesday, lineups were reported at some walk-in vaccine sites in the province as Quebecers 45 and older became eligible to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. It had previously been available to people 55 and over.
Quebec has reported a total of 340,397 cases of COVID-19 and 10,838 deaths linked to the virus.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2021.
