Quebec confirms 118 more coronavirus deaths as cases near 33,500

The Quebec government revealed that the province’s COVID-19-related death toll has reached 2,398 after announcing 118 more deaths since Monday afternoon.

As part of his daily briefings, Quebec Premier François Legault updated the province’s numbers, citing 33,417 known cases and 1,821 hospitalizations, 218 of whom are in ICU.

Currently, a reported 209,946 cases have turned up negative throughout the province.

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“The main problem we are still encountering is the lack of staff [at long-term care homes], right now, unfortunately, we have 11,200 staff members who are absent,” said Legault. “Either because they are infected or fear that they will become infected.”

The premier says the lack of personnel puts an “enormous pressure” on the entire medical network in the province, not just at CHSLDs.

Legault says the employees who aren’t sick are working without the chance of taking time off.

“I’m launching another call, to both employees who have finished their quarantine, and to people without expertise to come help,” he continued. “It’s like we’re in a war. As we wage the war, we need you more than ever.”

Legault says the government will announce new “premiums and bonuses” to get people to come back and work full-time in the medical field.

#COVID19 – Au Québec, en date du 5 mai 2020 à 13 h, la situation est la suivante :
33 417 cas confirmés
209 946 analyses négatives (cas infirmés)
1 821 personnes hospitalisées
2 398 décès

Pour en savoir plus sur la situation au Québec : https://t.co/fiqW5E4y8R

— Santé Québec (@sante_qc) May 5, 2020

Legault concluded his briefing by giving kudos to business owners around Quebec who have come up with “ingenious and resourceful” measures to set up physical distancing measures within their business, between themselves and customers.

“I am so far, very happy with this stage,” he said.

When it comes to the opening of schools and daycares (outside of Montreal), Legault said he is calling on the “flexibility” of Quebecers. “For all citizens, teachers, and parents, put yourselves in ‘solution mode’ going forward.”

Legault stressed that physical distancing is something we should “get used to living with” and something that will be in place for “weeks and months.”

Canada’s coronavirus death toll now totals 3,918.