During his daily briefing, Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced that because the number of hospital beds available in the Montreal area is tight, the re-opening of businesses on the island, previously scheduled for May 11, will be pushed to May 18.
The premier said the situation is under control in the rest of the province to the dates to reopen elementary schools and daycares as well as manufacturing, construction and certain retail sectors on May 11 will continue as planned.
There were 75 new deaths in the last day, bringing the total in Quebec to 2,280. Legault pointed out that of the deaths in the last 24 hours, 72 were in long-term care centres.
The province now has 32,623 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up 758 from the day before. There are 867 cases in the Estrie region.
There are 1,772 patients in hospital due to COVID-19, an increase of 18. Of those hospitalized, 218 are in intensive care, the same number as yesterday.
Legault renewed the call for health care workers willing to go to Montreal and assume a full-time position in a CHSLD.
The health network is currently missing 11,000 workers. While most of the positions have been temporarily filled thanks to support from the Canadian Armed Forces and Quebecers who signed up to help on the https://jecontribuecovid19.gouv.qc.ca website, Legault said workers have been in overdrive for eight consecutive weeks and will likely need relief at some point.
During the briefing Legault said that the Public Health Department didn’t think it was necessary for teachers to have a mask upon their return to school, those who feel the need it can wear one. When pushed in question period about where those masks would come from, Public Health Director Horacio Arruda said the department was in discussions with the education ministry about making masks available to teachers.
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Legault delays business openings in Montreal
By Matthew McCully
