COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know Tuesday

• Quebec reported 1,747 new cases ofCOVID-19 on Mondayand three new deaths.
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 469,356confirmed cases and 11,618people have died.
• There are 293 people in hospital (an increase of 25),including 75in intensive care (an increaseof two).
• The province has administered 14,032,710doses of theCOVID-19 vaccine, including 34,001 in the last 24 hours.
• 88 per cent of the eligible population in the province (age five and up) hasreceived one dose of vaccine, and 81per cent hasreceived two doses.

Quebec'sHealth Ministry does not publish the number of vaccines administered on weekends and public holidays.

The Quebec government is asking employers in the province to once again prioritize work from home, as cases and hospitalizations are on the rise and Quebec faces the threat of the omicron variant.

Health MinisterChristian Dubspoke in a provincial COVID-19 update at 1 p.m.along withQuebec's public health director, Dr. Horacio Arruda, and Daniel Par, who has been overseeing vaccination operations in the province.

Dubalso said the province would be rolling out rapid tests in pharmacies as of Monday, giving people access to five free tests every 30 days.

Montreal's public health department says 14 cases of the omicron COVID-19 variant have now been detected in the city and only five of them are associated with travel outside the country.

They say that means the others acquired it in Canada, which suggests limited local transmission.

The news of the variant's spread comes as Quebec reported more than 2,000new COVID-19 infections last Friday for the first time in nearly 11 months.

As of Monday, Quebec's seven-day rolling average is 1,683 new cases.

One year since vaccinations began

Today marks a year since the first COVID-19 vaccine was given in Quebec, launching the start of the vaccination campaign in Canada.

Gisle Lvesque, a resident of the CHSLD Saint-Antoine long-term care facility in Quebec City, became the first Canadianreceive a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 14, 2020.

Since then, Quebec has administered over 14 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Patricia McKinnon, the head of Quebec City's vaccination campaign, remembers running through the halls of long-term care home as the first doses arrived.

First resident receives COVID-19 vaccination at Quebec long-term care home

4 years ago

Duration 0:50

Gisle Lvesque, 89, became the first Canadian to receive a vaccination against COVID-19 at CHSLD Saint-Antoine in Quebec City. (Video provided by Quebec's Health ministry)

"We were asking ourselves how we could administer 3,000 doses in seven days," saidMcKinnon. "Now, we give 3,000 doses a shift!"

Nurse Nadia Charef, the nurse who administered the dose to Levesque, said it was a privilege to have given the country's first vaccine.

"For sure, it's an event that marked me and I'm proud to have done it," she said.

Outbreaks in jails across Quebec

At least three provincial jails across the province are currently reporting outbreaks of COVID-19.

TheBordeaux Prison inAhuntsic-Cartierville, also known as thetablissement de dtention Montral,reported 86cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, out of about 1,100 inmates. Onememberof staff is also infected.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministryon Monday reported two additional outbreaks of COVID-19 in provincial jails.

It said amonginmates at the Rivre-des-Prairies detention centre in Montreal, there are 13 active cases ofCOVID-19, and another13 among staff members.

While at the jail in Sorel-Tracy, Que., northeast of Montreal, there are 16 active cases amonginmates.

Since the pandemic began, 808 inmates and 436 staff members have contracted COVID-19 in Quebec's prisons. Two inmates have died.

Omicron tests in LaSalle

Montreal public health is asking people who may have visited a LaSalle community centre or a gym in Kirkland at certain times to get tested for the omicron variant of COVID-19.

The two places in question areBuzzfit Kirkland, located at 3240 Jean-Yves Street and theCentre culturel et communautaire Henri-Lemieuxlocated at 7644 douard Street in LaSalle.

You can find out more about the specific dates and times as well as the testing sites here.

Top COVID-19 stories

• Quebec-made vaccine shows 'high efficacy' against COVID-19
• Ottawanixing molecular COVID test requirementfor Canadians taking short trips abroad: sources
• Quebecbacks down again on mandatory vaccination in health network
• Vaccines won't be mandatory for teachers, school staff as Quebec COVID-19 situation improves
• Doctorconvinced vaccine hesitant patient attendant to get her shotwith patience and respect
• Takea look inside:How a Montreal hospital deals with ongoing staffing shortages