COVID-19 kills 2 more in N.B., 3 youth among flu hospitalizations

COVID-19 has killed two more New Brunswickers, while no new flu deaths have been reported, and hospitalizations for both viruses have decreased, but include four youth under 19, updated figures released by the province Tuesday show.

"COVID-19 activity remains moderate; most indicators (number of cases, percent positivity, ICU admissions and number of deaths) remained stable during the current reporting period," Respiratory Watch says of the week of  Feb. 11 to Feb. 17.

"Influenza activity remained stable."

The two people who died from COVID during the reporting week were aged 45 to 64 and 65 or older, according to the report.

COVID has now claimed at least 1,013 New Brunswickers since the beginning of the pandemic. The actual total is unclear because the province now counts only people who die in hospital as COVID deaths.

COVID hospitalizations drop 45%

The number of people hospitalized for or with COVID dropped to 17 from 31 the previous week — a decrease of 45 per cent.

Two people required intensive care, down from four.

Among those hospitalized is a youth aged five to 19.

There is also one person aged 20 to 44, two aged 45 to 64, and 13 aged 65 or older — two of whom are in ICU, the report shows.

Six COVID-19 outbreaks have been confirmed by lab results, including one in a nursing home and five in "other facilities," the report says. That's up from two the previous week.

A total of 1,306 COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccines have been administered in the past week and 1,990 flu shots, figures from the Department of Health show. (Edwin Hunter/CBC)

The number of new cases confirmed through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab tests is 79, compared to 76, although the actual number is likely higher since the province has limited PCR tests since April to people with a referral from a health-care provider, and for whom the result will directly influence their treatment or care.

The positivity rate  — or the percentage of PCR lab tests performed that produced a positive result — is seven per cent, up from six per cent.

More than 1,300 COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccines have been administered in the past week, raising the total to 144,800 since since Oct. 4, according to figures from the Department of Health.

85 lab-confirmed flu cases

The flu sent seven people to hospital between Feb. 11 and Feb. 17, none of whom required intensive care.

That's down from 11 and one, respectively, in the previous report.

Three youth aged five to 19 are among those admitted to hospital, along with two people aged 20 to 44 and two aged 65 or older.

Two lab-confirmed influenza outbreaks were reported in "other facilities," the same number as a week prior, and two new "influenza-like illness" outbreaks in schools were reported, down from five.

School outbreaks are based on 10 per cent absenteeism in a school because of influenza-like illness symptoms, the report says.

There are 85 new lab-confirmed flu cases, down from 93. The positivity rate is eight per cent, unchanged.

Of the new cases, 41 were influenza B, 37 were influenza A (unsubtyped), and the other seven, influenza A (H1N1) pdm09, the report shows.

The latest cases raise the total number of confirmed flu cases in the province to 2,526. since the start of the respiratory season on Aug. 27.

A total of 219,509 New Brunswickers have been vaccinated against the flu this season, as of Tuesday, up from 217,519 a week ago, figures from the Department of Health show.

CBC has requested an interview with Dr. Yves Léger, the province's acting chief medical officer of health.

Vitalité releases monthly COVID update

Vitalité Health Network posted its monthly COVID report Tuesday afternoon, which shows 33 health-care workers are off the job after testing positive for the virus, as of Saturday. That's up from 20 last month.

The number of COVID-19 patients at Vitalité hospitals has decreased by 50 per cent  to five in the past month, the report shows. None of them require intensive care, down from one in the previous report.

Three hospitals each have one unit with a COVID outbreak, as of Feb. 21, the most recent update.

These include the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton's extended care unit (3E), the Restigouche Hospital Centre's forensic psychiatry unit – rehabilitation (D-2), and the Lamèque Hospital and Community Health Centre's medical unit.

A total of 56 health care workers are off sick across the province because of COVID-19. (Shutterstock)

Horizon Health Network has 23 COVID-positive employees absent, as of Saturday, according to its COVID-19 dashboard — a nearly 77 per cent increase from last week when 13 employees were infected.

Horizon has 33 active COVID-19 hospitalizations, up from 27. None are in ICU, down from one.

Like Vitalité, Horizon has three hospitals, each with one COVID outbreak unit, as of Tuesday — Saint John Regional Hospital's transitional care unit, Charlotte County Hospital in St. Stephen's family medicine unit, and Miramichi Regional Hospital's surgical unit.