Quebec reports 18 new COVID-19 deaths, drop in hospitalizations

Longterm Covid Roger McIntyre Head of Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit at UHN joins CTV News Channel to discuss long term impacts of Covid-19.

Quebec's Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday that COVID-19 hospitalization numbers dropped by 43 with four fewer people in hospital intensive care units across the province.

There are now 2,137 patients with COVID-19 who are hospitalized and 53 people in ICUs.

There are now 105 more health-care workers absent for COVID-19-related reasons than there were on Monday, bringing that total to 2,595.

The province logged 18 new deaths due to the disease, bringing that total to 17,768.

The Quebec institute of public health (INSPQ) said Monday that it will be giving an update on coronavirus variants in the province, including the new "Kraken" (XBB.1.5) variant, this week.

NEW CASES, VACCINATIONS

Out of 6,747 PCR tests that were analyzed in Quebec, 790 came back positive, bringing the total number of positive PCR tests in the province to 1,292,049 since the start of the pandemic.

The province also added 51 positive self-declared rapid tests to the overall total, which is now 270,903.

The health ministry is monitoring 305 active COVID-19 outbreaks, which is eight fewer than on Monday.

On Jan. 8, 7,347 samples were analyzed.

Health-care professionals administered 3,142 more doses of vaccine, bringing the total number of vaccinations to 22,800,160.