COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know on Friday

• Quebec has 54,550 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 5,375people have died, an increase of 167new cases and fivedeaths from a day earlier.Thirtydeaths that occurred before June 11have also been added to the total.
• There are 574people in hospital, including 62in intensive care. Here's aguideto the numbers.
• Quebec isrelaxing physical distancing rulesat daycares, starting Monday.
• Places of worship have been given the green light to reopen June 22.
• Quebecers heading to the Magdalen Islands will not be allowed to stay overnight in New Brunswick as previously announced.

Government projects record $15B deficit as a result of COVID-19

Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard says that while the province is living through an unprecedented crisis, the economy should rebound by the end of 2021.

The government is projecting a record $15-billion deficit for thefiscal year, having spent $6.6 billion on recovery efforts and having lost revenue due to decreased consumer spending and export demand.

About 40 per cent of the province's economic activity was paused this spring, which put hundreds of thousands of Quebecers out of work.

• More:Quebec finance minister says 'return to growth' coming as COVID-19 leads to historic deficit

Shopping malls reopen today

Montrealers looking to cool off from the hot and muggy weather will have another option Friday, with shopping malls reopening for the first time in months in the Montreal, Joliette andl'piphanieregions.

Shopping centres will limit the number of clientsin order to ensure they can stay two metres apart from each other.

Food courts will not be open just yet they are slated to openJune 22.

• More:Malls reopen in greater Montreal area, Joliette today after months of lockdown

Some long-term care home residentscan have visitors

After 100 days strictly confined to their rooms, CHSLD residents can now go on outings, dine together, have their teeth cleaned and receive visitors, as long as there is no active coronavirus outbreak in their home.

In a letter sent to the heads of all regional health agencies Thursday, the deputy minister of health, Yves Gendron, laid out a plan to allow residents of long-term care institutions out of isolation, effective immediately.

Among the changes, volunteers will once again be welcome in homes where there is no sign of COVID, starting June 26. Leisure activities will also be permitted, and caregivers hired by residents or their families and people such as hairdressers will once again be permitted to offer their services, starting June 26, as well.

• More:Residents of COVID-free long-term care homes can have visitors again, starting now