Deputy Premier Genevieve Guilbault had a sobering message for Quebecers on Friday, especially those living in the Chaudière-Appalaches and Capitale-Nationale regions where a laissez-faire attitude about health and safety measures has been noticed.
“I want to be extremely frank and crystal clear with you, if we keep on the same track as we are currently, we are going straight into a wall,’’ Guilbault said. “The health-care system won’t be able to take care of you anymore in some cases,’’ she added. “As long as the COVID cases stay high, we are on the brink of a service breakdown,’’ Guilbault explained, using the example of someone waiting for a hip replacement or a delayed cancer diagnosis because the health care system is too overwhelmed with Covid. “This is what’s at stake,” the deputy premier said.
Guilbault pointed out that according to statistics from Oct. 17, the Chaudière-Appalaches region recorded four times as many COVID-19 cases and five times more deaths than during the first wave. She also said the Capitale Nationale region currently has the highest number of cases per 100,000 people in the province.
People hear about the pandemic so often, Guilbault said, it’s not sinking in anymore.
“The numbers are worrying.”
The province reported 879 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in Quebec to 100,114 since the beginning of the pandemic.
According to public health authorities, 84,828 are considered recovered.
Eleven new deaths were reported yesterday. Five occurred in the last 24 hours, and six occurred throughout last week, bringing the total number of deaths in the province to 6,143.
There are 551 patients in hospital due to the novel coronavirus, 97 of whom are in intensive care.
In the Estrie region nine new cases were reported on Friday, 26 on Saturday and 38 cases were reported on Sunday, bringing the local total to 2,511.
Quebec surpasses 100,000 cases of COVID-19
Record Staff
