Quebec girl, 4, dies of 'circumstances related to COVID-19,' hospital centre says

Inquiry into long-term care homes continues The number of hospitalizations, as well as deaths, due to COVID-19 continue to rise in Quebec.

The University Hospital Centre (CHU) of Quebec said Monday that a four-year-old girl had died "due to circumstances related to COVID-19."

"The CHU wishes to offer its most sincere condolences to the parents and family of the young girl," the hospital centre said in a statement provided to Noovo Info.

"For aspects of confidentiality and out of respect for the bereaved family, no interview will be granted and no other comments will be disclosed by the CHU."

Quebec's health minister, Christian Dubé, called the news "incredibly sad" and offered his condolences to the family in a tweet Monday afternoon.

Overall, deaths of children from COVID-19 are extremely rare.

On Dec. 17, the CHU Sainte-Justine in Montreal announced the death of a baby less than two months old who contracted COVID-19 and had no pre-existing health conditions.

According to Quebec Health Department data, the infant was the first child under age 10 to die of the disease in the province.

--With files from The Canadian Press