MONTREAL — Quebec reported a reduction in hospitalizations due to COVID-19 for a third straight day on Sunday.

The province said 14 fewer people are receiving treatment in Quebec hospitals reducing the total number of people receiving treatment for the novel coronavirus to 1,460. Of those, 215 people are in the intensive care ward, a decrease of 12.

Quebec reported that 1,744 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours bringing the total number of people who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus to 242,714 since the start of the pandemic.

The province added that “a delay in the transmission of laboratory data has caused a delay in the reporting of COVID-19 cases to public health departments yesterday, and a drop in the number of new cases reported.” The situation will be restored today, and tomorrow’s update will include cases not reported today, according to Quebec’s public health site. 

Since Saturday, Quebec’s Institute of Public health reported that 2,644 people have recovered from COVID-19 bringing that total to 213,008.

The institute reports 20,636 active COVID-19 cases.

The province also reported 50 more deaths due to disease bringing that total to 9,055. Of those, eight people are reported to have died within the past 24 hours, 26 deaths were reported between Jan. 10 and Jan. 15, seven before Jan. 10 and nine at an unknown date.