Horizon reports 40% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, Vitalité a 71% jump in sick staff

The Horizon Health Network has seen a 40 per cent increase in its number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the past week, while the Vitalité Health Network has seen a 71 per cent jump in its number of health-care workers off the job because of the virus, the latest figures show.

The two regional health authorities report that 113 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized, seven of them requiring intensive care, as of Saturday.

That's up from 91 and six, respectively, in the previous week's reports.

Horizon has 87 active COVID-19 hospitalizations, up from 62, including the seven people in intensive care, an increase of two.

Vitalité has 26 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, down from 29, with none in intensive care, down from one.

The province's weekly COVIDWatch report, normally released every Tuesday, is scheduled to be released this afternoon because of the holiday weekend.

Of the 87 hospitalized Horizon patients, more than half — 54 — are in the Saint John region, Zone 2, the weekly COVID-19 dashboard shows.

The distribution of the other patients includes:

Nine of Vitalité's 26 patients are at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton, which is listed at 105 per cent capacity.

Bathurst's Chaleur Regional Hospital has six patients and is at 95 per cent capacity, the Edmundston Regional Hospital has six of the patients and is at 92 per cent capacity, the Campbellton Regional Hospital has three patients and is at 88 per cent capacity, and Tracadie Hospital has the other two patients, and is at 116 per cent capacity.

Vitalité has 48 health-care workers absent after testing positive for COVID-19, up from 28 a week ago. Horizon has 78 infected health-care workers, up from 77.

There are still 11 Horizon COVID-19 hospital unit outbreaks, including three in the Moncton region, five in the Saint John region, Zone 2, two in the Fredericton region, and one in the Miramichi region. No other details are provided.

Vitalité has eight COVID-19 outbreak units, including a new one at the Edmundston Regional Hospital's surgical unit 2.

Six of the outbreaks are at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton, including the geriatric unit (3A), the rehabilitation unit (3F), the general surgical unit (4A), the psychiatry unit (4B), the surgical unit (orthopedic, plastic, and otorhinolaryngology), 4E, and the nephrology unit (4F).