Franకోois Legalt calls abrupt press briefing on COVID-19

Stressed by the Omicron variant, and a day after opening the door to revisit holiday meeting arrangements, Franకోois Legalt Thursday evening will be addressed to Quebeckers.

The Prime Minister invited the media to a press conference in Montreal at 6 p.m. He will be accompanied by Health Minister Christian Dubey and National Director of Public Health Horacio Arruda.

Until Thursday morning, this sudden press conference did not appear on Mr. Legalt’s agenda. However, Wednesday’s COVID-19 report added 2,736 infections and 5 deaths.

“The situation is very critical,” the head of state wrote on his Twitter account, repeating the words he had used extensively during the first pandemic wave. Without giving further details, the Prime Minister referred to “important steps due to the increase in COVID cases and the new variant Omicron”.

The government’s decision to announce new health measures comes on the same day that hospital projections from the National Institute of Excellence in Health and Social Services (INESSS) are published. The company said in a press release that the hospital network would be weakened as the number of suspected cases related to the Omicron variant increased.

“A strong increase in the number of cases will significantly increase the number of daily hospital admissions in the coming weeks and consequently the occupancy rate of regular and intensive care beds”, emphasizes INESSS based on the developed scenario. Using South Africa data. This is where the Omicron variant first appeared.

On Wednesday, Franకోois Legalt had Already left in doubt On Opportunity to meet up to twenty people for the winter holidays. “2300 cases have been registered today and it is not our responsibility not to look at all the possibilities,” he told reporters gathered at the entrance of the cabinet meeting.

Last year, at the end of November, the Prime Minister concluded a “moral agreement” with the Quebecs and announced the facility for Christmas. A few days later he withdrew his steps. “It is unrealistic to think that we will succeed in satisfactorily slowing down the progress of the virus,” he retorted.

Minister Roberz was alone

COVID-19 disrupted daily political life in another way, on Thursday, Education Minister Jean-Franకోois Roberz announced that he had tested positive for the disease. “I would like to state that I have been in administrative segregation since Monday, December 13,” he said on social networks.

“For the time being,” the minister said in an exchange of text messages with his press officer Florent Tonlet. Destiny, Thursday. The minister received two doses of the Kovid-19 vaccine.

The elected Quakist was in Parliament last Friday. “No problem,” Donlet said. Therefore the deputies who worked with him did not have to undergo the tests. “Normally, no,” he assured.

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