N.B. adds 10 deaths to COVID-19 toll, none from past week

COVID-19 has killed 10 more New Brunswickers, but none of the deaths occurred during the past week, according to figures released by the province Tuesday.

Six people died in January, two in December, one in November, and the other one some time prior to Aug. 28 — the start of the current respiratory season, and as far back as data in the weekly COVIDWatch reports go under recent format changes.

"Deaths are subject to a lag in reporting," the report says. There is an average two-month lag from date of death to the registration of death.

Among the nine latest deaths, the people were all aged 70 or older, the report shows. No information about the other person is provided.

A total of 822 New Brunswickers have died from COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.

COVID-19 hospitalizations "remained stable" this reporting period, between Feb. 5 and 11, according to the report.

Ten people were newly admitted to hospital because of COVID, up from nine in the previous report. Three are in intensive care, up from none.

The province no longer provides the number of people currently hospitalized.

The two regional health authorities, meanwhile, say they have 66 hospitalized COVID-19 patients as of Saturday — up 32 per cent from the 50 active COVID patients the previous week. Six people require intensive care, up from five.

This includes people admitted to hospital because of COVID-19, as well as those initially admitted for another reason who later test positive for the virus.

Horizon and Vitalité both recently dropped routine COVID-19 testing of most hospital patients. Only patients with symptoms of the virus are now being tested, with some exceptions.

Among the people newly admitted to hospital for COVID, the province reports one was under 20 — the youngest age category provided under the report format changes.

One was aged 20 to 59, three were aged 60 to 69, and five were aged 70 or older.

The number of new lab-confirmed COVID cases and per cent positivity "remained relatively stable" in the past week, the report states.