COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know this weekend

• Quebec reported 2,588new caseson Sunday and 39more deaths.
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 228,821confirmed cases and 8,686people have died.Here's aguide to the numbers.
• There are 1,380people in hospital (a decrease of 12), including 203in intensive care (a decrease of three).
• 9,264doses ofvaccine were administered on Saturday, for a total of 84,387.
• CBC Montreal is collecting stories from Quebecers who have recovered from COVID-19. If you would like to share your experience, pleaseget in touch.

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With hospitals in many areas, including greater Montreal, reaching the breaking point, the government says itis making a desperate effort to stop COVID-19 from spreading.

That effort includes afour-week overnight curfew forall regions of the province but the far north.

Dozens of tickets were given out tosmall groups ofanti-curfew protesters in Sherbrooke, Quebec City and Montreal.

In an open letter on his Facebook page, Premier Franois Legault said thepoint of the curfew,which started Saturday night,"is to prevent gatherings, even the smallest ones. It's the addition of all thesmall breaches of the rules is what feeds the virus. Anybody can catch it and give it to a loved one."

• Will a curfew help get the pandemic under control in Quebec?

But in places where curfews are already in effect, experts are questioning whether the measure is effective.

Legaultadded that while vaccination of vulnerable populations continues to ramp up, it's no time to get complacent. It will take several more weeks for the province's most vulnerableto be immunized.

"Our battle is ending, and like a long marathon the final kilometres are the hardest. I'm begging you to make this one last effort," he said.

On Saturday, the province reportedmore than 3,000 cases in a single day for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

According to the Health Ministry, the province plans to vaccinate 250,000 people on its priority listbetween now and Feb. 8, when the enhanced lockdown measures are supposed to be lifted.

More specifically, the province plans to reach its target of vaccinating 75per cent of CHSLD residents, or 30,000 people, by Jan. 25.

Top COVID-19 stories today

• Lost your sense of smell because of COVID-19? You maybe able to re-train your nose.
• Air purifiers and filters aren't a "magic bullet", says the province, which won't put them in schools.
• When will you get a COVID-19 shot? Quebec provides more clarity on its vaccine schedule.
• Cree community moves into lockdown to contain outbreak of COVID-19.
• Here's alist of acceptable reasons for being out after curfew in Quebec.
• Some nurses feel betrayed after province postpones 2nd dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
• Quebec lays out how COVID-19 curfew will be enforced.
• Late-night beer runs on hold under Quebec's curfew,much to the dismay of depanneur owners.