Health minister urges Quebecers not to panic as COVID-19 cases soar

Quebec's health minister is urging people not to panic even thoughthe province recordedthe highest number of new COVID-19 cases since mid-January on Thursday.

"We're exactly where we should be," Christian Dubtold reporters at a Thursday scrum at the National Assembly.

"We were expecting this an increase of cases, but relative stability in the number of hospitalizations. So I think we're OK so far."

Dub noted the majority of the 1,807 newcases identified Thursday are among unvaccinated people andchildren, who, in some cases, transmitted the virus to their parents.

The number of cases in Quebecincreased sharply by 29 per cent compared tolast week,according to INESSS, a government health-care research institute known by its French acronym.

The number of new hospitalizations could increase across the province in the coming weeks, INESSSsaid in a projections report released Thursday.

Still, compared to the second wave of the pandemic, the report revealedhospitalizations are down 81 per cent.

For the past two months,the proportion of cases requiring hospitalization has been declining, according to INESSS, due in part to the increase in cases among children, who areless likely to require hospitalizationif they contract COVID-19.

Despite the stable number of hospitalizations, experts say Quebecers shouldn't let their guard down when meeting others in person.

"Knowing that [health-care workers are] short-staffed and tired, the impact of an increase of COVID hospitalizations and ICU occupancy rate might take a toll on the system out of proportion to the actual number," Dr. Joseph Dahine, an intensive care specialist at Cit de la Sant hospital in Laval,said.

WATCH| Some of the factors that may have contributed to spike in cases in Quebec:

What's driving Quebec's COVID-19 surge?

3 years ago

Duration 5:29

Montreal infectious diseases physician Dr. Matthew Oughton discusses the circumstances behind Quebec's report of more than 1,800 new COVID-19 infections, the province's highest daily numbers since January.

With the government easing gathering restrictions in time for the holidays, Gilbert Boucher, head of Quebec's association of emergency medicine specialists, says we need to remember that last year was "very chaotic for everyone in the health-care system."

"We need to be careful because the virus is out there amongthe little ones. And if we're not careful, we will reach the 2,000 [cases] and above number for sure."

Over the past 24 hours, 13more people were hospitalized with the virus, bringing the total to 255 people in hospital across Quebec. People aged 70 and over currently represent 35 per centof hospitalizations.

Dubsaid he is closely following this increase, adding he"doesn'tlike" to see any rise in hospitalizations.

The health minister iscalling on people who are not vaccinated to get their shots now, and urged those eligible for the third dose to get it, if it has been six months since their second.

Rapid tests for Quebec kids

The spike in cases comes the same day Quebec's Health Ministry announced that all preschool and elementary school students will be receiving rapid COVID-19 screening teststhat can be used at home.

Starting this week, tests will be distributed to school boards and service centres in Montreal, the Eastern Townships, Chaudire-Appalaches, Lanaudire, theMontrgie and the Laurentians regions where theepidemiological situation is "more worrisome," according to the Health Ministry.

"First, they will be available for kids at the primary level," said Dub. The government expects 325,000 children to be sent home with a kit within the next two weeks,he said, explaining that"those tests should be used only when you have symptoms."

As the holidays approach, each student will be given a kit in their school bag that includes five tests, as well as the materials and instructions for performing them.Rapid tests, which provide results in as little as 15 minutes, may be used for children who have any symptoms similar to those of COVID-19.

"We want to go more and more towardthe self-test," Dub said.

Distributionwill be carried out by the Health Ministryand will take place gradually.Other regions will receive the tests starting the week of Dec.13.

Since rapid tests are deemed to be less reliable than those used in the laboratory, in the event that a child tests positive, parentsmust make an appointment to have the diagnosis confirmed at a screening centre.

Still, Dr. Karl Weiss, head of infectious diseases at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital, welcomes their availability in schools as an additional tool to prevent the virus from spreadingbetween children andtheir families.

"If you do serial rapid testing, you test people in school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you will find some cases eventually and you will break some transmission," he said.

"It's not a perfect tool, but it's an additional tool to fight this infection and try to keep the society open as much as possible."

While Dubalso said the tests are useful and will have an impact on bringing down COVID-19 cases in the province,he said vaccination is still the best way to slow the spread of the virus.

He said he expects the situation to stabilize when more children aged five to 11are vaccinated.

The province says it plans to distribute almost threemillion rapid tests in the next two weeks. Many will go to daycares or businesses trying to avoid outbreaks among workers.