Canada to impose new restrictions as Covid-19 cases flare up

Quebec, the Canadian province hardest hit by the novel coronavirus, reported another sharp increase in daily infections on Monday, and media reports said Premier Francois Legault would announce new restrictions for Montreal and capital Quebec City.

Quebec added 750 new coronavirus cases on Monday, despite existing restrictions on mask wearing and social gatherings put in place by Canada’s second-most populous province to contain the spread of infections.

Health Minister Christian Dube told a French-language talk show on Sunday night the two cities were close to being listed as red zones, referring to the province’s traffic light system for designating transmission, with red being the hardest-hit.

A spokeswoman for Quebec’s premier declined comment, but said Legault would address the issue “with all the details” during a news conference at 5:30 pm ET.

Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, on Monday reported a new daily high of 700 cases, with a bit more than a day’s worth of samples still pending at labs, latest data showed. The number of patients in hospital is also rising steadily, reaching 128, the data showed.

via Reuters