Quebec public health warns of ‘difficult December’ as respiratory viruses spread

Quebec's public health director said the coming weeks will be challenging due to respiratory viruses that are hitting the province's hospitals hard — COVID-19, influenza and RSV.

Quebec public health director Dr. Luc Boileau warned of a difficult month ahead amid an onslaught of respiratory viruses circulating in the province.

Boileau made the comments during a press conference on Monday, where he noted that while it’s normal to see a rise in respiratory illnesses in December, the flu season seems to have started a few weeks early this year, with more people getting sick.

Of the many viruses circulating three are of particular concern, including the novel coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Boileau explained the worry is not only linked to the number of people infected but the impact of those illnesses on the most vulnerable.

RSV is a virus that causes complications mostly in young children, Boileau said, with many kids under five requiring hospitalization in pediatric wards and in intensive care units.

While the latest data shows that the number of RSV cases has already peaked, Boileau warned that has yet to translate into a drop in the number of hospitalizations.

Pediatric emergency wards in the province and across the country have been overwhelmed with patients in recent weeks, leading to overcrowding and long wait times for care.

As for influenza and COVID, transmission is on the rise with variants of concern making up the majority of cases in Quebec.