COVID-19 update
2 deaths, 138 recovered in Outaouais
Out of 266 people infected by the coronavirus in the Outaouais since the start of the pandemic, 138 have recovered. According to the Centre intégré de santé et des services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO), 215 cases originated in the Gatineau urban area.
For the region’s rural territories, the MRC de Papineau has accounted for 28 cases, the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais has had 12 and both the MRC de Pontiac and the MRC de-la-Vallée-de-Gatineau have seen less than five.
The origin of six cases has yet to be determined. On April 27, CISSSO confirmed that six people were hospitalized and that two of them required intensive care. It added that the region has accounted for two deaths so far. Two of CISSSO’s long-term care facilities (CHSLD) – Lionel-Émond and de-la-Petite-Nation – have seen outbreaks of the virus and 33 healthcare workers have been infected.
CISSSO said they are monitoring the situation at both residences carefully, noting that things have stabilized in seven cases at the CHSLD de-la-Petite-Nation and that the CHSLD Lionel-Émond has seen two new cases, bringing its total to 11.
In a press release issued on April 23, CISSSO announced that the Outaouais had opened its own COVID-19 test analyzation laboratory two days prior. It stated that the laboratory has a capacity of around 10 test analyzations per day, but it expects to increase its capacity with new equipment coming, noting that medical technologists are learning how to use it.
People showing COVID-19 symptoms are urged to call the Quebec Service’s designated phone line – 1-877-644-4545 or 1-819-644-4545 – to set up an appointment for a screening test. More coronavirus-related information is available on the Quebec Government’s website - https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/2019-coronavirus/.
