COVID-19 : “Regions have learned from Montreal” – Danielle McCann, minister of Health

COVID-19 : “Regions have learned from Montreal” – Danielle McCann, minister of Health

Quebec Health Minister, Danielle McCann, praised the regions least affected by COVID-19 for quickly integrating the instructions requested by the government.

Although she assures that a follow-up will be made in these regions when they reopen, she said she is relying particularly on the population to continue applying social distancing and hygiene measures.

“We will follow this very closely, in all regions, in the hospital sector and CHSLDs. The advantage for the regions we are reopening is that, I will say it like that, they learned from Montreal and the greater Montreal region. (This sector) was somehow taken by surprise. (…) The regions that were less affected have learned, have implemented these protocols, these new measures that protect them. But indeed, we are counting on the population to apply the same instructions, because if there were a significant increase (of COVID-19 cases), we would have to close the tap again, as we have often said.” – Danielle McCann, minister of Health

The roadside checkpoints in the Outaouais will be lifted from May 11th, with the exception of the City of Gatineau, if the situation surrounding COVID-19 remains stable.

The Warden of the MRC Pontiac, Jane Toller, has also confirmed that the checkpoints between the Pontiac and Ontario, in Portage-du-Fort and L’Isle-aux-Allumettes, as well as the one between Quyon and Bristol are included in this announcement.

“Quebeckers have to remain very careful”
The Deputy Premier of Quebec and Minister of Public Security, Geneviève Guilbault, wanted to remind citizens that public health authorities will continue to assess the situation daily. If the situation deteriorates, deconfinement measures may be modified. On that matter, she warned Quebec citizens to remain vigilant and to keep respecting health measures.

In Quebec, there are now 25,594 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 837 over the past 24 hrs. In Outaouais, there are 273, of which less than 5 cases are located in the réseau local de service (RLS) of Pontiac (which includes the MRC Pontiac and the municipality of Pontiac). Note that no municipalities in the MRC Pontiac have been affected by the virus to date.

To learn more about the novel coronavirus, the public is invited to consult Québec.ca/coronavirus.

For more information, you can call the designated COVID-19 phone line 819 644-4545 or 1 877 644-4545 (toll free).