There were 59 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the MRC d’Argenteuil as of Tuesday, May 26, according to the CISSS des Laurentides regional health authority.  That total was an increase from 55 confirmed cases on Monday, May 25.

For the first time since the pandemic began, the CISSS des Laurentides is also listing the number of deaths due to COVID-19 that have occurred in each MRC within its jurisdiction.  The total number of deaths in Argenteuil due to COVID-19 as of May 26 was five.

The Laurentides region includes seven other MRC’s, and the municipality of Mirabel.  Throughout the Laurentides on May 26, there were 2,743 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which was an increase from 2,697 confirmed cases on May 25.  However, the CISSS des Laurentides was listing 1,514 cases as resolved, which means that 56.1 per cent of the 2,743 Laurentides cases are now resolved and there are 1,229 active cases.

There were 178 COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the Laurentides region on Tuesday, and 29 of those patients were in intensive care.  As of May 26, there had been 123 COVID-19 deaths in the Laurentides region.

According to the CISSS des Laurentides, COVID-19 is present in all nine municipalities within the MRC d’Argenteuil.  There are less than five cases in each municipality except for Lachute, which has 23 cases.  Brownsburg-Chatham has eight cases, and there are five cases in St-André-d’Argenteuil.

No outbreaks of COVID-19 at long-term care facilities or other institutional living facilities in the MRC d’Argenteuil were listed by the CISSS des Laurentides as of May 26.

Testing encouraged

Testing in the Laurentides region has been expanded to include any person who is experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms.  Those include flu-like symptoms, cough, difficulty breathing, and loss of sense of smell without nasal congestion.  The CISSS des Laurentides is encouraging expanded testing as part of an effort to monitor transmission more precisely.

A mobile COVID-19 testing facility is currently operating from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until Thursday, May 28 at the parking lot of the Kevin Lowe-Pierre Pagé Arena at 80 avenue Hamford in Lachute.  No appointment is necessary.  For more information, go to http://www.santelaurentides.gouv.qc.ca/sante-publique/maladies-infectieuses/covid-19-coronavirus/depistage-et-evaluation/

COVID-19 across Québec

There were 48,598 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Québec, as of Tuesday, May 26.  That total was a 1.3 per cent increase from 47,984 confirmed cases on Monday, May 25.

However, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) listed 14,999 COVID-19 cases as resolved on May 25.  That means approximately 30.9 per cent of cases on May 26 were resolved and 33,599 cases remained active.

As of May 26, 1,403 COVID-19 patients in Québec were in hospital and 181 of those patients were in intensive care.

Across Québec, there had been 4,139 confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 as of May 26.  That was a 1.7 per cent increase from 4,069 COVID-19 deaths on May 25.

Investigation announced

On Tuesday, Québec Ombudsman Marie Rinfret announced that  she will be investigating long-term care facilities across Québec  following the serious effects COVID-19 has had on the residents of those facilities.

In Québec, the following businesses and services are now open or activities permitted:

Clothing and shoe stores.

Take out, drive-through, or delivery only from restaurants.

Grocery stores and pharmacies.

Museums, public library loan counters, drive-in movie theatres.

Summer day camps.

Outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people, but physical distancing must be observed.

Limited day use only at the network of government parks and wildlife reserves operated by the Sépaq agency.

In Québec, the following businesses and services will soon open:

Societé de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) outlets for driver’s licences, tests, and health card renewals will all be open as of June 1.

Malls outside the Montréal metropolitan area will reopen on June 1.

Recording of indoor musical performances will resume on June 1.

Personal care, aesthetics, and private medical services will be able to resume on June 1.  This includes hair salons and dentists.

The Québec government is developing plans to allow campsites, tourism, and outdoor recreation facilities to open.