New restrictions were announced by the Quebec government ahead of New Year’s Eve, including a return to imposed curfews and a ban on restaurant in-house dining..As well, a return to in-person learning in schools was originally delayed to January 10 but has been extended to January 17..Premier François Legault made the announcement in a Thursday press conference along with Health Minister Christian Dubé and the director of public health, Dr. Horacio Arruda..Quebec’s national healthcare research institute released projections showing hospitalizations could reach 1,600 and up to 2,100 and ICU cases could rise to 375 within a span of three weeks..According to a tweet by the Quebec Health Ministry, hospital capacity has gone up by a few hundred beds as the province delays or has cancelled several non-urgent surgeries and procedures..Current capacity for COVID-19 patients across the province sits at 1,252 and ICU beds total 319..On Thursday, 939 people were reported in hospital with COVID-19 including 138 in ICU..Quebec reported 14,188 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the highest daily case count since the start of the pandemic..In an effort to curb the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, the province will return to an imposed curfew similar to what was brought in early January and lasted until the end of May..Indoor gatherings with more than one household are also banned and restaurants will be closed to in-person dining..Quebec citizens with no valid reason to be outside their homes between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. could face fines between $1,000 and $6,000..New restrictions will come into effect on Friday at 5 p.m..An end date to the curfew was not mentioned by Legault although he said it would be the first restriction removed when the situation improves..Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
New restrictions were announced by the Quebec government ahead of New Year’s Eve, including a return to imposed curfews and a ban on restaurant in-house dining..As well, a return to in-person learning in schools was originally delayed to January 10 but has been extended to January 17..Premier François Legault made the announcement in a Thursday press conference along with Health Minister Christian Dubé and the director of public health, Dr. Horacio Arruda..Quebec’s national healthcare research institute released projections showing hospitalizations could reach 1,600 and up to 2,100 and ICU cases could rise to 375 within a span of three weeks..According to a tweet by the Quebec Health Ministry, hospital capacity has gone up by a few hundred beds as the province delays or has cancelled several non-urgent surgeries and procedures..Current capacity for COVID-19 patients across the province sits at 1,252 and ICU beds total 319..On Thursday, 939 people were reported in hospital with COVID-19 including 138 in ICU..Quebec reported 14,188 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the highest daily case count since the start of the pandemic..In an effort to curb the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, the province will return to an imposed curfew similar to what was brought in early January and lasted until the end of May..Indoor gatherings with more than one household are also banned and restaurants will be closed to in-person dining..Quebec citizens with no valid reason to be outside their homes between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. could face fines between $1,000 and $6,000..New restrictions will come into effect on Friday at 5 p.m..An end date to the curfew was not mentioned by Legault although he said it would be the first restriction removed when the situation improves..Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
