1) The number of #COVID19 outbreaks in Montreal has risen to more than 200 from 130 two weeks ago, the city’s public health director disclosed Wednesday. Hospitalizations are up by almost 9%. Nonetheless, Dr. Mylène Drouin said the city is progressing in the right direction.

2) On Oct. 7, Drouin noted that 40 schools had outbreaks. On Wednesday, that number had grown to 73. Two weeks ago, there were #COVID19 clusters in 50 workplace settings. On Wednesday, that number climbed to 70 and up by two from the day before.

3) A total of 129 people was hospitalized for #COVID in Montreal on Oct. 7, of whom 25 were in intensive care. By Wednesday, those numbers inched up to 140 and 36, respectively. Such figures are far from overwhelming the health system, but are they moving in the right direction?

4) Drouin conceded the city's #COVID19 testing positivity rate remains “elevated” at more than 5% and is still rising, despite a “significant” drop in screening recently. In Parc Extension, the positivity rate is more than 15%. Don’t these figures imply the opposite of progress?

5) Drouin cited two things to back her assertion of progress. She suggested the number of new #COVID19 cases has plateaued after a sharp rise in September. She also noted the #coronavirus’s reproduction number is below 1. But how can she be certain of all this with fewer tests?

6) Despite Drouin’s talk of progress, it was quite telling that she said the city will stay in the red zone and emphasized that the #COVID19 numbers will have to drop for a sustained period of time before considering lowering Montreal’s #pandemic alert status.

7) Across the province, the number of #COVID19 cases was back up to 1,072 Wednesday, with 19 fatalities being added to a death toll of 6,074. As for the numbers in long-term care centres and seniors’ residences, they were simply marked “not available.” See below.

8) Officially, the CHSLD St-Augustin in Beauport is reporting an outbreak of 47 #COVID19 cases among residents. On Monday, it posted 35 cases among residents (up by four) and 44 among employees (up by 10). Those numbers increased to 47 and 51, respectively, on Wednesday.

9) The discrepancies in the data cited above could raise suspicions authorities are trying to spin the numbers. The facts are that hospitals in the Quebec City region are ramping down clinical activities to deal with the #pandemic, and Montreal has reopened Hôtel-Dieu hospital.

10) Meanwhile, Health Minister Christian Dubé announced Wednesday that all municipal regional countries north of Trois-Rivières in the Mauricie-et-Centre-du-Québec will be declared red zones Saturday. See below for what the province will look like on the weekend. End of thread.