MONTREAL — Quebec reported 104 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday and six more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, as authorities worked to contain outbreaks of the disease at a seniors centre and Costco store.
Health officials said four of the deaths reported Thursday occurred between Aug. 6-11, one took place before Aug. 6, and one is from an unknown date. Quebec has now reported 5,715 deaths since the pandemic began and 60,917 total cases.
The latest figures came as public health officials said they were trying to manage a COVID-19 outbreak at a long-term care facility near Joliette, Que., in the Laurentians region north of Montreal.
Quebec's long-term care homes, known as CHSLDs, were hard-hit in the early months of the pandemic, with many elderly residents contracting the virus amid a lack of trained staff and personal protective equipment.
Speaking to reporters in the Abitibi region Thursday, Premier Francois Legault said 20 residents and three employees in a single unit at CHSLD Parphilia-Ferland tested positive for the virus.
"It's still very serious, very worrying," Legault said, adding that testing is being conducted and staff are working to limit the outbreak. He said health officials are investigating how the virus was able to spread inside the facility.
"There will be outbreaks," the premier said. "There are people — whether they are employees, whether they are visitors, or even whether they are residents who go outside of the residence — who will unfortunately come and contaminate other people."
"What's important is to intervene very quickly to eventually prevent any serious consequences."
Public health officials reported another COVID-19 outbreak Thursday, after eight employees at a Costco store in Quebec City tested positive for COVID-19.
Mass testing has begun for about 450 employees, the local public health agency said, adding all the infected employees and their close contacts are in self-isolation.
The agency said while the risk is low that customers may have contracted the virus, anyone who went to the store since Aug. 1 and is concerned should get tested.
Meanwhile, Quebec said Thursday the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped by two for a total of 149. Twenty-three people hospitalized were in intensive care, an increase of three from the previous day. The province said 15,259 COVID-19 tests were carried out on Aug. 11, the last day for which testing data is available.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2020.
The Canadian Press
