Sarah Rennie and Nadia Geukjian
Quebec Premier François Legault started his briefing on Tuesday by announcing the province had now surpassed 1,000 deaths with a total of 1041 people now confirmed as having succumbed to COVID-19. There are now 20,126 confirmed cases across the province, which is an increase of 807 over yesterday’s number. Currently there are 1,224 individuals being treated for complications stemming from the virus in hospital, with 201 of those in intensive care.
In the Montérégie, the number of confirmed cases increased by 145 to a total of 2,511, making it the second-most-affected region in the province after Montreal.
The number of cases in the Haut-Saint-Laurent local health network (LHN) remains at 15, while the number in the Suroît LHN has increased by 1 to 129. The confirmed cases in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges LHN jumped by an additional 11 cases to 255, while the number of cases in the Jardins-Roussillon LHN increased by 13 to 370. Across the border in Clinton County, New York, there are 51 confirmed cases, and 13 cases in Franklin County.
Residences still the epicentre
Legault detailed just how significant the outbreaks in seniors’ residences and CHSLDs have been with regard to the outbreak in the province, noting that 805 of the 1,041 deaths were residents in either a private or public residence or CHSLD. In the Montérégie, there have been 59 deaths, of which 49 were residents in a seniors’ residence or CHSLD. The Premier also gave additional details regarding the network of 2,600 long-term care facilities in the province, suggesting that so far there are 300 with at least one reported case of COVID-19. Of those residences with an outbreak, 220 are considered to be under control. There are still 80 residences where the situation is dire. In the region, there are three facilities with registered outbreaks: Manoir Harwood in Vaudreuil, where 67% of residents are confirmed as having the virus; the Résidence Beauharnois, where 20% of residents are positive; and the Résidence Quatre Saisons Bellerive in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, where 8% of residents have the virus.
As of today, 1,000 specialist and generalist doctors, nurses and orderlies had been relocated to help gain control of the situation in the residences. The government is hoping that by tomorrow the remaining staffing shortage of 1,000 workers will be under control.
Legault also noted that the Union des Producteurs Agricoles (UPA) had informed him they have been overwhelmed with calls from people wanting to fill potential shortages of agricultural workers this spring and summer.
Schools likely to open this spring
Legault suggested that outside of Montreal and the residences and CHSLDs, the situation in the rest of the province was stabilizing. He said they were now talking about how they will gradually open businesses, schools, and daycares. “It would not be a good idea to wait for the 1st of September to send a million kids back to school,” Legault said, suggesting a mass move such as this would likely trigger a second wave of infections. Rather, the province is going to return at a gradual pace. Legault said he was consulting with his caucus, his MNAs, and the opposition on how best to proceed, while reiterating that the prime consideration in their decision-making was public health.
“Of course, we still need some time to be sure the pandemic is under control,” said Legault, while promising that a plan will be tabled showing how businesses, schools and daycares will be reopened over the coming weeks and months. There is a possibility that some regions may reopen more quickly than others. The premier also insisted the possibility of students attending classes over the summer is not being considered.
Help for community groups and non-profits
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today announced a $350 million fund to support community groups and non-profits, giving them more resources to help in their work with society’s most vulnerable. “Their mission has always been to support people in times of need, and that has not changed,” Trudeau said, but explained that more people need help given the current situation, and that has placed additional pressures on these organizations. A portion of these funds will go directly to smaller frontline organizations and the rest will flow through national organizations such as United Way and the Red Cross.
Trudeau also announced a calculator is now available on the Canada Revenue Agency website where business owners can see how much they would be entitled to from the Wage Subsidy benefit. This benefit covers up to $847 a week per employee. Businesses as well as charities and non-profits can begin the application process for this 75% wage subsidy benefit for their employees as of April 27.