Quebec public health projections suggest COVID-19 hospitalizations may go up in February

Public health officials in Quebec are warning that the relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions in recent weeks may lead to an increase in hospitalizations in Februarybut they admit it's difficultto say with certainty.

"We shouldn't worry too much but it's quite likely that the lifting ofmeasures will lead to more contagion, with the risk in particular of seeing more hospitalizations," said the interim director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau, at a news conference Wednesday.

Hospitalizations in Quebec havesteadily declinedover the last couple of weeks.

"In more recent data and in the last week of January, we note that the decline is starting to slow down. Transmission is decreasing, but less markedly. There's a trend that's changing," ric Litvak, vice-president of Quebec's institute of public health (INSPQ), told the news conference.

The INSPQ's latest projections released Wednesday suggested things could go either way.

"The new projections suggest that hospitalizations should continue to decline over the course of the coming days/weeks," the institute's report said.

Most projections indicate "the level of current hospitalizations could remain at a high level for several more weeks," the INSPQ concluded.

WATCH | Interim public health director says Quebecers' behaviours iskey:

Boileau weighs whether another wave is coming this month

3 years ago

Duration 0:56

Quebec's interim public health director says the public's willingness to follow remaining restrictions will determine whether COVID-19 will surge again this month.

Boileausaid much of what happens will depend on the behaviour of Quebecersas measures are relaxed.He said social distancing, masking, and getting vaccinated remain important.

"I'm sure the willingness of the people to respect those measures in reality will help us not to develop new cases of hospitalization," Boileau said.

"But if we are not careful, we may experience some upgrading of them and that will be really sad to see," Boileau added.