COVID-19 in Quebec: What you need to know Monday

The new cases represent those reported to the Quebec government only. They are believed to be an underrepresentation of the virus's spread, given the limited availability of PCR tests and use of home testing kits.

Quebecers aged 40 and above are now eligible to make their third dose appointments through the Clic-Santé platform.

The age group became eligible on Monday, and all adult-aged Quebecers will be eligible to make a third dose appointment by next week, Jan. 17th.

It comes as Quebec's professional order of physicians — the Collège des médecins du Québec (CMQ) — is urging the province to "step up the pace" on measures targeting the unvaccinated. 

"The vaccinated population can no longer suffer the constraints of health measures in silence while the unvaccinated occupy one in two short term beds and the majority of intensive care beds," CMQ president Dr. Mauril Gaudreault wrote in a release Saturday. 

"The overload of hospitalizations and triage means thousands of people are missing out on life-saving surgeries," he said. 

While the CMQ said it's relieved to see more places requiring mandatory vaccination, it says the mandate needs to be expanded to more businesses and public areas and the government needs to act more quickly.

The province recently announced that as of Jan. 18, the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) and government-run stores selling recreational cannabis (SQDC) will require a vaccine passport to enter.

Hundreds of Quebecers took to the streets of Montreal's Old Port on Saturday to protest against the health measures intended to slow the spread of the virus, such as the expansion of the vaccination passport.

The province has issued a Level-4 alert for four regional health boards — the highest level in the province's COVID-19 contingency plan — as hospital systems across the province continue to be overwhelmed.

With 20,000 workers off the job due to the virus, more hospitals will be delaying or cancelling medical services across all departments in an attempt to reduce the strain on the system.

Hospitals in the Eastern Townships, the Mauricie and Montérégie-Est are among those who recently moved to Level 4.

Under the measures those hospitals will be able to close emergency rooms, delay up to 80 per cent of their surgeries, and close urgent care departments such as cardiology and trauma centres, redirecting those patients elsewhere. 

Provincial transit agency Exo is warning customers of delays of services in the coming weeks due to COVID-19.