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       People hold up signs during a demonstration opposing the Quebec government’s measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in Montreal on Aug. 28, 2021.

       Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press

       Quebec is reporting 579 new cases of COVID-19 today, but no additional deaths attributed to the virus.

       Public health data shows overall hospitalizations declined by five to 126, while the number of people in intensive care dropped by two to 36.

       Health Minister Christian Dubé said on Twitter that the province had reported only 122 cases of COVID-19 at the same time last year.

       However, the hospital numbers are much closer – 126 today compared to 112 last year – which Dubé said is a sign that vaccines are successful in helping people avoid severe illness.

       The province also added 30,682 vaccine doses to its total, including 23,655 second doses.

       Health authorities say the risk of infection is more than eight times higher for people who are not vaccinated while the risk of hospitalization is up to 22 times higher.

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