New Covid cases in 24 hours surge over 2000
This isn’t good. For the first time, new cases of Covid over the last 24 hours in Quebec are up over 2000 (2031) and 48 deaths were added to the count. Numbers from the Santé Québec page. Some of the numbers may be due to a “catch-up” effect according to this public health page.
CBC talked to a man who lost his sense of smell in an early case of Covid, and still hasn’t got it back.
Brett 15:44 on 2020-12-05 Permalink
We also had a record of 35,391 tests performed, which is 8000 more tests than were performed last week. The more you test, the more you find. Hospitalizations are up, but how much is this due to patients being transferred from CHSLD? Encouragingly, ICU patients remain under 100 and have remained under 100 for the whole week (I don’t think they ever went over 100 in November). Don’t buy into the panic.
MarcG 17:00 on 2020-12-05 Permalink
They’re converting offices into patient rooms at the new Royal Vic.
Kate 19:39 on 2020-12-05 Permalink
Maybe we didn’t see it as fortunate that Covid first bust out here at the start of spring. Now we’re facing winter with a pandemic.
Brett 08:14 on 2020-12-06 Permalink
Interesting anecdote because the Royal Vic currently has 2 beds free at 94 per cent capacity. With very few staying more than 24hours. Are they expecting a surge? Maybe work from home means more space available for patients?
The holiday season is always a burden on hospitals and there is no evidence that this winter is worse than average.
Kevin 10:59 on 2020-12-06 Permalink
Vaccinations for Influenza are much higher than normal, and there have been hardly any cases at all this year in Canada—something like 24 when normally at this point we’ve had 1500.
This is good! If we had a normal or heavy flu season, which normally killls at least 8,000 per year when we *have* a vaccine and treatment [and most of that happens during winter]on top of Covid (which has killed 12,500 so far) then we would have people dying of diseases without being treated.
That is the whole point of pandemic rules: to make sure there is room in the ICU if you need it.
Because it’s not just a bed, it’s the team of doctors and nurses and orderlies needed to give a patient intensive care because their body is no longer capable of keeping itself alive.
And those medical staff haven’t had a break since March, and probably won’t get one until this time next year.
TL;DR: ICU staff have been running without a break for nearly a year. Stay away from people, wear a mask when you can’t, assume everyone you see is accidentally going to kill you
Kate 11:31 on 2020-12-06 Permalink
Kevin, that’s very good news about flu, in any case. Thank you!