A curfew has gone into effect throughout Quebec to curb the rise of COVID-19 cases
The measure is necessary to prevent rallies that fueled the virus’ rampant spread, Prime Minister Francois Legault said in the announcement of the rules earlier this week. The French-speaking Canadian province has more than 8.4 million inhabitants.
“The situation is critical and shock treatment is needed,” Legault said in a Facebook post earlier Saturday. “Our hospitals fill with COVID-19 patients. Hundreds of people are in intensive care and fighting for their lives. Dozens of people die every day.”
The rules will ensure that most residents face police queries or fines of up to $ 6,000 Canadian (US $ 4,728) if they do not arrive between 8:00 PM and 5:00 AM for the next four weeks.
There are exceptions for essential employees, people who walk dogs, and people who have medical reasons to leave, such as a doctor’s appointment.
The curfew has met with great resistance from some.
Just before curfews set, several dozen people walked the streets of Montreal’s Plateau district shouting ‘freedom’ as five police cruisers followed with flashing lights after them. A helicopter hovered above them and police cars lined the streets.
Under curfew terms, supermarkets and convenience stores will have to close at 7:30 p.m. to allow employees and customers to go home. Stores connected to gas stations can remain open to serve critical workers.
Curfews are now coming to the COVID-19 cases in Quebec and deaths continue to rise, with hospitals saying they are getting full and at risk of being overwhelmed.
The trend continued on Saturday as the province reported 3,127 new cases of coronavirus infections and 41 more deaths related to COVID-19. It was the first time that the daily number of cases in the province exceeded the 3,000 mark.