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QUEBEC — With three new COVID-19 deaths and three seniors’ residences infected, Premier François Legault on Wednesday took a military stance, telling Quebecers they are like an army in the fight of their lives against the coronavirus.

Quebec leads the country in confirmed cases, but the premier and public health director Horacio Arruda said they fully expected to see the higher numbers because testing here is now in full swing.

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Since Tuesday the pandemic entered a second phase and now anyone experiencing symptoms can ask to be tested, Arruda said. To date, Quebec has conducted 30,000 tests, with 26,634 negative results and 2,998 pending.

“With 26,634 negative tests we are ahead of the per capita Canadian average,” Legault said at his daily briefing. “So it’s a big increase in the number of tests and results. All things considered it’s an encouraging ratio.”

Legault added the level of hospitalizations in Quebec remains low as do the number of patients in intensive care.