Quebec Premier Francois Legault hit the "pause" button on his province's economy on Monday, ordering all non-essential businesses to close until April 13 as the number of COVID-19 cases more than doubled to 628.
Legault said the businesses will be ordered to close no later than midnight Tuesday, adding that grocery stores and pharmacies will be among those allowed to remain open.
"Effectively, Quebec will be on pause for the next three weeks," he said.
"It's important, in order to give us all the chances to reduce the spread of the virus, to take this decision, which is difficult, but in my opinion necessary."
The number of COVID-19 cases in Quebec jumped by 409 since Sunday, with 45 people hospitalized — 20 of them in intensive care.
Legault noted that the province is now grouping probable and confirmed cases, which accounts in part for the major increase.
Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebec's public health director, said the increase in positive cases was expected, given the massive increase in testing in recent days.
The province's earlier March break and close ties to hard-hit nations such as Italy are also factors, he said.
But while many or most cases remain linked to travel, he noted the province is also beginning to see community transmission.
"When we told you no weddings, no funerals, it's not because we don't find them important," he said. "It's because there are situations where people who don't know they're sick, but are sick, can contaminate others."
He called on Quebecers to stay home and avoid all travel, including within the province.
There have been four deaths in the province, all linked to the same seniors residence.
Legault announced that from now on, seniors home residents are asked to not to leave without supervision, citing the potentially "disastrous" consequences of the virus running rampant within a group that is statistically the most at risk of complications.
However, he stressed that Quebecers of all ages are to consider themselves essentially locked down.
"What we're saying is confinement, except for essential services," he said. "We're at that point."
He said the measures do not apply to police, firefighters, health-care workers, grocery store employees, journalists or anyone who can do their jobs completely from home.
The full list of businesses and services that are allowed to remain open was published late Monday. It includes teachers working online, infrastructure maintenance, sanitation, manufacturers of food and medical supplies, hotels, movers, restaurants offering takeout only, banking and public transportation.
The provincially run alcohol and cannabis stores can also stay open.
But constructions sites and aluminum smelters will have to close, he said.
Most people diagnosed with COVID-19 experience mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the majority of those who contract the virus recover. Some may have few, if any symptoms, or may not know they're infected because symptoms of the novel coronavirus are similar to a cold or flu.
However, for some, including Canadians aged 65 and over, those with compromised immune systems and those with pre-existing conditions, the illness can be much more severe. Among the Canadians diagnosed with the illness so far, 10 per cent have required hospitalization, with fewer than five per cent of cases requiring admission to the ICU.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2020
The Canadian Press
