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

• Quebec reported 9,397new cases ofCOVID-19 on Thursday and six new deaths.
• Since the start of the pandemic, there have been511,095confirmed cases and11,658 people have died.
• There are 473people in hospital (an increase of 28),including 91 in intensive care (an increase of three).
• The province has administered 14,619,762doses ofCOVID-19 vaccines, including 89,924in the last 24 hours.
• 89per cent of the eligible population in the province (ages five and up) hasreceived one dose of vaccine, 81per cent hasreceived two doses, and 11 per cent have received boosters.

Quebec'sHealth Ministry does not publish the number of vaccines administered on weekends and public holidays. Itwill not be publishing daily COVID-19 data on Dec. 24, 25, and 26, as well as Dec. 31, Jan. 1 and 2.

According to the province's open data portal, slightly more than 10,000 new cases were added on Friday, eclipsing the previous record of 9,397 new cases reported one day earlier. Details on COVID-19 related hospitalizations andvaccinations will be released next week.

"The Omicron variant is more contagious than anything seen since the start of the pandemic,"Legault wrote in a Christmas message posted to Facebook. "I count on your judgment to respect the instructions and to be careful."

Quebec has tightened rules at long-term care homes and at seniors residences. Residents of long-term care homes will not be permitted to leave for private holiday gatherings and will only be allowed one visitor at a time, for a maximum of two visitors per day.

Outings are still permitted at seniors residences, but residents will only be allowed a maximum of four visitors a day for the holiday period.

Legault called on Quebecers to reach out to those alone during the holidays or who are isolating because of a positive COVID-19 test result, and he acknowledged the courage and dedication of health workers.

"The next few weeks are going to be difficult," Legault wrote. "It will be very important to continue our efforts and to stick together, even if we are tired."

Quebec orders 12 million rapid tests

The Quebec government has reportedlydecided to order millions more rapid tests itself rather than wait for deliveries from the federal government,which it saysare too slow to ease frustrations of thousands of Quebecers unable to obtain the tests in pharmacies.

Sources told Radio-Canadathe province has agreed to spend $86 million on the order, which could secureat least 12 million rapid tests.

It is not known when Quebec will receive this order.

Ottawa is set to deliver more rapid tests through January, and all Quebecers are entitled to one free package of five rapid tests, which are being being handed out at pharmacies.

Radio-Canada is alsoreporting the province will bebuying an additional 10 million N95 masks to bulk up its stock.The province already has 10 million of the masks in reserve.

The move comes as two unions representing health-care workers call for the masks to be provided to all medical staff, but sources tell Radio-Canada that won't happen. The masks could be given to some, such as emergency room staff or at family doctors' offices.

Over 5,000 health-care workers are currently off the job due to COVID-19, and people within the health network worry that number will grow with Omicron quickly spreading across the province.

WATCH: What Quebecers need to know about rapid tests:

Your questions answered about rapid tests in Quebec

3 years ago

Duration 3:31

Rapid tests are becoming a key tool for Quebecers as COVID-19 cases skyrocket. Here are answers to the questions asked by the CBC Montreal audience.

Northern Quebec community is at red alert level

The rapid rise of COVID-19 cases inKangiqsualujjuaqhas led public health authorities there to put the community on red alert level. This means a complete shut down of all non-essential places such as the church, arena and community centre. There is nowa curfew from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

While essential services like the clinic, police station and co-op will be open, all non-essential activities are cancelled.

People cannot visit others or host visitors, including family members whodo not live in the same house. For the holidays, two households (always the same) are allowed to gather until Jan. 3. Supervised outdoor gatherings are permitted as long as distancing is maintained.

Only essential travel to and from the community is allowed.

Montreal health officials warn of'critical time'

Montreal's director of public health saysit's now a critical time for the city's health network as the holidays approach and case numbers continue to grow exponentially.

Dr. Mylne Drouinprovided an update of the COVID-19 situation in the city on Thursday alongsideSonia Blanger, who runs the health authority for the city's downtown area, the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'le-de-Montral.

Blanger noted hospitalizations in Montreal have jumped by over 60 per cent, with most patients infected with the Delta variant.

Omicron is particularly hitting young Montrealers aged 18-44, Drouin said. The age group accounts for 60 per cent of the cases.

The positivity rate in Montreal is hovering around 18-20 per cent, meaning one in five people who do receive a PCR test are positive.

WATCH | Public health director lists who should and shouldn't show up at testing centres:

Who should and shouldn't get tested at a COVID-19 screening centre in Montreal

3 years ago

Duration 0:58

Public Health Director Dr. Mylne Drouin says people should avoid going to a testing centre unless they have symptoms. Positive case contacts and people who have received positive rapid tests should avoid overrunning the testing centres, she says.

Quebec City officials warn of potential hospital breaks

Health officials in Quebec City and theChaudire-Appalaches to its south also urged residents to keep their holiday gatherings small.

In a news conference Thursday, regional health officials warned of possible cuts to hospital services in the new year if COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise at their current rate.

"As a health professional on the frontlines of intensive care for the past 21 months, I have never felt the system was so fragile in the face of the demand to come," said Dr. Mathieu Simon, pulmonologist and head of the ICU at theInstitutuniversitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Qubec.

Hospitalizations in both regions are also on the rise. Quebec City saw 16 COVID-19 patients in hospital Thursday triple the number of patients in hospital at the start of the week.

The vast majority of those patients, the health authority says, are over 60 and unvaccinated.

WATCH | Legaulturges people to get vaccinated as soon as possible:

Quebec's premier sends a message to the unvaccinated

3 years ago

Duration 0:47

Franois Legault tells unvaccinated Quebecers that they are putting a strain on the health-care system and asks them to get shots or stay home.

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