Quebec confirms 94 more coronavirus deaths as cases pass 36,000

May 8 2020, 5:46 pm

The Quebec government revealed that the province’s COVID-19-related death toll has reached 2,725 after announcing 94 more deaths since Thursday afternoon.

According to Santé Quebec, the province has 36,150 known cases and 1,827 hospitalizations.

Currently, a reported 234,769 cases have turned up negative throughout Quebec.

Friday’s daily briefing came from Montreal instead of Quebec City. Quebec’s public health director, Dr. Horacio Arruda, started the meeting by stating that the situation is “under control” outside of Montreal. “But in many parts of Montreal, including Laval, and part of the Montérégie region, the situation is more problematic.”

Arruda says health officials are launching a screening strategy that is “massive” in certain regions, specifically in areas that are considered COVID-19 “hot zones.”

“This will help us better understand the community transmission and better protect the population,” he said.

Arruda added that officials are targeting 14,000 daily tests and the city’s new mobile screening clinics on STM buses is a way to tackle “active transmissions.” Arruda thinks we will be able to conduct the desired numbers of daily tests and says Quebec will soon be able to total 100,000 tests per week.

Though not mandatory, Arruda said face masks are “strongly encouraged.” He repeated three times, the importance of citizens washing their hands.

“Deconfinement does not mean release,” he concluded. “It seems Mother Nature is sending us a weekend of snow to remind us that we have to go back and do what we’ve previously been doing. We are opening things up progressively and we’ll measure the effects to ensure we can control the possible outbreak.”

Dr. Mylene Drouin, Montreal’s public health regional health director, said she’s aware that Montreal stands out from both the rest of Quebec and Canada but that “targetted screenings” will help to “double our efforts.”

Drouin acknowledges that citizens are all tired and they want to see their families but she says physical distancing is “even more important right now if we want to get through this as quickly as possible.”

She stressed that since Montrealers love spring, we have to be more careful.

“Montrealers have shown resilience and solidarity. We do have the capacity to get through this and we can hold together, I am very proud of the work that has been done over the past few weeks,” said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante

Canada’s coronavirus death toll now totals 4,473.

DH Montreal StaffDH Montreal Staff

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