Quebec reports over 1,200 new COVID-19 cases, 38 new deaths

Saguenay remains Quebec's most affected region on a per capita basis with nearly 413 active cases per 100,000 people - more than three times the rate of Montreal.

Nunavut is announcing four new cases of COVID-19, all in the community of Arviat.

Chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson says there are over 300 people in isolation in Arviat.

During his Thursday-afternoon update Quebec's Health Minister Christian Dubé said that the province is working to have the necessary infrastructure to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in place by January, even if the vaccine itself is not available until later.

To the latter issue, Legault said that he is waiting on news from Ottawa.

Quebec is reporting 1,100 new COVID-19 cases and 28 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, including 12 that occurred in the past 24 hours.

Provincial data say the seven-day average for infections in the province is 1,489 per day.

With the 38 deaths, the total number of people who have died due to the disease since the start of the pandemic is now 6,984.

The regions with the highest number of new cases were Montreal with 336; Saguenay, north of Quebec City, with 211; and Monteregie, southeast of Montreal, with 187.

Quebec has reported a total of 136,894 COVID-19 infections and 6,947 deaths to the virus.

The number of hospitalizations dropped by six Friday and there are now 669 people receiving treatment in the province's hospitals. Of those, 90 people are in the intensive care ward, the same as the day before.

The numbers come as the Ontario government is expected to spell out its guidelines for celebrating the winter holidays.