Montreal COVID-19 update: Stats, scams and virus hotspots

There are currently 1,013 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Quebec, 439 of them in Montreal, as of 1 p.m. on March 24. There have been four deaths from Coronavirus in Quebec, all in the same seniors residence in Lavaltrie. One Quebec has officially recovered from the virus. See the breakdown of stats by city/region here.

The most vulnerable

There are currently three cases of Coronavirus at le King David assisted living facility in Côte-St-Luc and five at Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci seniors residence in Ahuntsic, according to The Gazette.

CBC Montreal reports that a homeless man who tested positive for COVID-19 was left to wander the streets after receiving his diagnosis; Montreal police later found him in a line-up for food at the Old Mission Brewery. Montreal public health is investigating the situation.

Yesterday it was reported by CTV Montreal that a two-month-old baby in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve was hospitalized at Ste-Justine with COVID-19 symptoms. The baby’s father is infected with the virus and had been self-isolating in the basement of the family home. The first Quebec child with COVID-19 was diagnosed on March 14. Generally kids who’ve been infected with the virus around the world have recovered and not suffered severe symptoms, unless they had underlying medical conditions that heighten the effects of COVID-19.

Cops, firemen, doctors, hospitals

Two Montreal police officers and two firefighters have been diagnosed with COVID-19, forcing a number of their co-workers into self-isolation. There are also two paramedics with Coronavirus in the Lanaudière region and one infected doctor in Kahnawake. CBC Montreal reports that a total of 60 Urgences-Santé paramedics are currently in isolation.

It was reported by The Gazette this morning that the ICU at the Jewish General Hospital is almost at capacity, and 23 patients are now being treated at the Côte-des-Neiges hospital.

COVID-19 scams

Montreal police have received multiple reports of COVID-19-related fraud or attempted fraud by text, phone, email and even in-person, according to CBC Montreal. People posing as public-health officials and employees of cleaning companies, the Red Cross, the World Health Organization and other government agencies are attempting to separate citizens from their cash. Police are encouraging skepticism of “false or misleading claims, expensive products of poor quality or miracle cures.” ■

Please visit our News section for more updates on COVID-19 / Coronavirus in Montreal.

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