INSPQ data: A 94% drop in active COVID-19 cases

Montreal, July 23, 2020 – At the end of last week, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) dramatically revised its data regarding the extent of COVID-19 in Quebec. Yet these substantial changes attracted very little attention.

In this INSPQ update, the percentage of active cases suddenly plummeted from 44.4% to 2,5%, recovered cases jumped from 45.6% to 87.6%.

“Clearly, the data must be updated more often. How long have we been repeating a number of active cases in Quebec that was light years from the truth?” asks Gaël Campan, Senior Economist at the MEI. Indeed, the number of active cases plummeted by over 94% as a result of the INSPQ’s adjustment.

“A climate of fear, unconducive to rational debate, is fueled by data that were clearly out of date. We must do much better in this regard,” adds the economist.

“The INSPQ’s spectacular correction shows that it is important to regularly update the data in order to inform the public debate. Let’s hope that this will be done more frequently in the future,” concludes Mr. Campan.

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The Montreal Economic Institute is an independent public policy think tank. Through its publications, media appearances, and advisory services to policy-makers, the MEI stimulates public policy debate and reforms based on sound economics and entrepreneurship.

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Interview requests: Daniel Dufort, Senior Director of External Relations, Communications and Development, MEI. Tel.: 514-273-0969 ext. 2224 / Cell: 438-886-9919 / Email: ddufort@iedm.org