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COVID-19 kills 2 more in N.B., child and youth hospitalized
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COVID-19 has killed two more New Brunswickers, while a child under
four and a youth aged five to 19 are among the 19 people hospitalized
for or with the virus, data released by the province Tuesday shows.
COVID activity remains moderate, and most indicators remained stable
during the reporting period, April 21 to April 27, the Respiratory
Watch report says.
The report comes just days after the National Advisory Committee on
Immunization, known as NACI, issued its latest guidance on fall
COVID-19 vaccines.
A fall dose is "strongly recommended" for people at higher risk of
infection or severe disease, including seniors, people with underlying
medical conditions, and those who provide essential community
services, NACI said.
People aged six months or older who are not at increased risk may
receive a fall dose, NACI said.
New Brunswick Public Health will review the guidance from NACI and
"determine what recommendations it will adopt regarding eligibility
criteria," said Department of Health spokesperson Sean Hatchard.
"It will communicate any COVID-19 vaccine updates as it has in the
past," he said in an emailed statement Wednesday afternoon.
NACI said there isn't sufficient data yet to determine the best time
to start fall COVID-19 vaccinations, but preliminary observations from
previous seasons suggest COVID activity began to increase before fall
campaigns were launched. Last year, the national percent positivity
began to increase in mid-August, it said. (Jonathan Hayward/The
Canadian Press)
NACI "emphasizes the benefits of available vaccines for COVID-19
protection, and particularly for those most at risk of severe illness,
as we know that protection against severe illness due to COVID-19 can
wane over time," chair Dr. Robyn Harrison said in a statement Friday.
"An updated COVID-19 vaccine formulation may also be available by the
fall that would better target the currently circulating strains," she
said.
_Spring boosters have been available since April 2_ to New
Brunswickers considered most at risk of severe illness.
As of Tuesday, 7,181 doses of the spring COVID-19 vaccine have been
administered, according to the Department of Health.
Nearly 2,000 COVID vaccines were administered in the past week,
raising the total to 155,620 since Oct. 4, figures from the department
show.
The spring doses will be available until June 15, the department has
said.
## 4 outbreaks, 29 new cases
The two people who died from COVID during the reporting week were aged
45 to 64 and 65 or older.
Their deaths raise the provincial pandemic total to at least 1,034.
The actual number is unclear because the Department of Health _counts
only people who die in hospital as COVID deaths_.
The 19 people who were hospitalized either because of COVID or for
something else and later tested positive for the virus is up from 17
in the previous report. One person was admitted to intensive care, the
same number as a week ago.
In addition to the child and youth, those admitted to hospital
included one person aged 20 to 44, two people aged 45 to 64 and 14
aged 65 or older, one of whom required intensive care.
PCR lab tests are restricted in New Brunswick to those with symptoms
who have a referral from a primary care provider and for whom the
outcome will 'directly influence treatment or care.' (Kamran
Jebreili/The Associated Press)
The number of lab-confirmed COVID outbreaks doubled to four since the
last report. One was in a nursing home and the other three were in
facilities listed only as "other."
Twenty-nine new cases of COVID were confirmed through polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) lab tests, down from 31.
The positivity rate — or the percentage of lab tests performed that
produced a positive result — is four per cent, unchanged.
## Flu sends child and youth to hospital
No influenza deaths were reported between April 21 and April 27, but
the flu sent seven people to hospital, up from six the previous week.
Among those admitted to hospital were a child under four, a youth aged
five to 19, one person aged 20 to 44, one aged 45 to 64 and three aged
65 or older.
Influenza activity remains relatively stable, the report says.
Forty-two new flu cases were confirmed by lab tests, down from 59,
with a positivity rate of five per cent, down from seven.
Eleven of the new cases were influenza A and 31 were influenza B.
Since the respiratory season began on Aug. 27, there have been 3,630
confirmed flu cases confirmed.
A total of 224,109 New Brunswickers have been vaccinated against the
flu, as of Tuesday, an increase of 146 from a week ago, figures from
the department show.
## Horizon and Vitalité
Horizon Health Network has eight active COVID admissions, as of
Saturday, down from 10 last week, according to its latest COVID
report.
None are in intensive care, down from one.
Two health-care workers are off the job, after they tested positive
for COVID-19, compared to one a week ago, the report says.
Horizon's COVID-19 outbreak page shows one outbreak, as of Tuesday, at
the Moncton Hospital's cardiology unit.
Vitalité Health Network updates its COVID report only monthly, with
the next update expected on May 28.
It updates its outbreaks page more frequently, however, and lists one
outbreak, as of Tuesday, at the Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst,
on the general medical unit.
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