Quebec hit a COVID case record on New Year’s Day, with more than 17,000 reported cases. And with nearly 200 new hospitalizations reported Tuesday, the province is now facing a hospital bed shortage.
CBC Montreal reporter Kate McKenna told Vermont Edition on Tuesday that the situation in hospitals is dire.
"So, what that will probably mean is more surgeries will be canceled and more health care workers will be moved around and it will create chaos within the hospital system, even further chaos than they’re already experiencing," she said. "I don’t mean to sound so grim, but things aren’t really great here right now."
Rural communities are facing the most pressure, as already-limited resources are further strained by soaring cases. Quebec is taking measures to slow the spread of the virus including closing some retail stores, limiting gathering sizes and imposing and a 10 p.m. nightly curfew.
Broadcast live on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
