Quebec demands tighter measures on international travel as COVID-19 cases continue to surge

MONTREAL — Quebec health authorities reported 2,381 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases in the province since the start of the pandemic to 197,311. Of them, 21,125 are active.

Tuesday’s updated numbers come as the province records its first case of the coronavirus variant from the U.K.

Quebec is now recording around 2,200 to 2,300 new cases per day, Health Minister Christian Dube said at an afternoon news conference.

“There’s even been a slight increase over the past few days,” he said. “I must admit I would have liked to be here today with better news.”

Quebec also reported another 64 deaths linked to the disease on Tuesday, bringing the provincial death toll to 8,124. Of the latest deaths,17 occurred in the past 24 hours, 39 are from between Dec. 22 and Dec. 27, one is from before Dec. 22 and seven are from an unknown date.

Hospitalizations in Quebec increased by seven from Monday to Tuesday and there are now 1,131 people receiving treatment for COVID-19 in hospitals across the province. Of them, 148 are in the intensive care ward, which is two fewer than Monday’s total.

“The situation is critical in some regions, specifically in the Montreal region, as the INESSS forecasts have demonstrated,” Dube said. “Half of designated beds are already filled up.”

Montreal reported 968 new cases on Tuesday, which brings the city’s total to 69,648 cases since the start of the pandemic.

Monteregie reported 322 new cases (total 27,626), Quebec City, 218 (total 17,314), Laval, 208 (total 16,188), and Mauricie, 128 (total 9,528). Lanaudiere reported 123 new cases (total 14,831), Chaudiere-Appalaches, 109 (total 8,014), and the Laurentians, 107 (total 10,609).