The number of hospitalizations linked to COVID-19 continued to fall across the country on Sunday, as more and more health restrictions are about to be lifted in the provinces.
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The most obvious example is probably in Quebec, where public health reported a further drop in hospitalizations (-36), while deploring 22 new deaths. However, there are still 2,411 infected patients in hospitals, including 177 in intensive care (-4), so that the load shedding is still continuing.
Despite everything, this trend bodes well in the province for the deconfinement of culture and worship. From Monday, performance halls and cinemas will be able to reopen to vaccinated people, at 50% capacity up to 500 people at a time.
Places of worship must also be able to reopen, with the requirement of a vaccination passport, and be limited to 50% of their capacity for a maximum of 250 people. Otherwise, without a passport requirement, they must remain closed, except for funeral ceremonies limited to 50 people.
For its part, Ontario accumulated 2,230 (-263) hospitalizations on Sunday, including 486 (-15) in intensive care. The number of regular hospitalizations is, however, expected to be readjusted on Monday, since some Ontario hospitals do not provide all their data on weekends.
The largest province in the country also deplored 56 more deaths.
The Atlantic provinces also saw some hospital improvements, with declines of seven hospitalizations in Nova Scotia (95 occupied beds) and three in New Brunswick (159 occupied beds).
In terms of deconfinement, however, it is the Prairie provinces that seem to want to take a step ahead.
Thus, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has promised to unveil, during the week, a plan to end health measures which would include, in particular, the abolition of the vaccine passport.
Manitoba, for its part, will ease its measures from Tuesday, among other things by allowing restaurants, performance halls, cinemas, gyms and others to operate at 50% of their capacity, with the requirement of a vaccine passport. Private gatherings may also increase to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
For its part, Saskatchewan has announced that it is ending the publication of its daily data on COVID-19 as of this week. Instead, the data will be recorded in a weekly report, which will become monthly in April, as for any other respiratory disease.
The government of Scott Moe announced this change by suggesting that the majority of health measures could be lifted shortly in the province.
Status in Canada
Ontario: 1,054,061 cases (11,825 deaths)
Quebec: 880,952 cases (13,475 deaths)
Alberta: 503,433 cases (3,634 deaths)
British Columbia: 330,638 cases (2,675 deaths)
Manitoba: 122,632 cases (1,585 deaths)
Saskatchewan: 123,258 cases (1,012 deaths)
Nova Scotia: 40,452 cases (158 deaths)
New Brunswick: 30,756 cases (259 deaths)
Newfoundland and Labrador: 18,242 cases (45 deaths)
Prince Edward Island: 8,764 cases (12 deaths)
Northwest Territories: 6,806 cases (17 deaths)
Yukon: 3,186 cases (18 deaths)
Nunavut: 1,935 cases (5 deaths)
Repatriated Canadians: 13 cases
Total: 3,125,128 cases (34,720 deaths)
Reference-www.tvanouvelles.ca