MONTREAL - Quebec is reporting 3,768 new COVID-19 cases today, a record since the start of the pandemic.
The number of new infections eclipses the previous high set in January 2021, when officials reported 3,127 cases.
Health officials are also reporting seven more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.
They say COVID-19-related hospitalizations rose by seven compared with the prior day, to 312, after 39 people entered hospital and 32 were discharged. The number of intensive care patients dropped by one, to 62.
Premier Francois Legault told Quebecers Thursday that vaccination wasn’t enough to protect the health-care system from becoming overwhelmed with patients, due to the threat of the Omicron variant.
He announced a series of new restrictions to slow the spread of Omicron, including the requirement that all retail stores, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues operate at 50 per cent capacity starting Monday.
The province’s public health institute said today it has confirmed 13 cases of the Omicron variant in the province and said there were another 309 suspected cases of the variant - a jump of 180 suspected cases from the prior day.