Five cases of Omicron variant now detected in Quebec, 7 more under investigation
Posted December 8, 2021 5:01 pm.
Quebec is reporting four additional cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
The Health Department said in a post on Twitter today that the cases were detected among travellers and that seven more cases are under investigation.
Quebec had previously reported one case of the Omicron variant in the province.
Earlier in the day, officials reported 1,367 new cases of COVID-19 and two additional deaths linked to the novel coronavirus.
The Health Department says the number of hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 rose by seven from the day before, to 242, and 59 people were in intensive care, an increase of one.
Officials say 28,496 doses of vaccine were administered within the past 24 hours, including 14,000 doses given to children aged five to 11, as well as 9,484 third doses administered to people 70 and over.
On Tuesday, Health Minister Christian Dube said the province would expand access to third doses of COVID-19 vaccines to additional groups, including those aged 60 to 69, health-care workers and people with certain chronic illnesses.
The Health Department says 87 per cent of Quebec residents aged five and over have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 81 per cent are considered adequately vaccinated.
Quebec has reported an average of 1,294 new COVID-19 cases a day over the past seven days.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2021.
