N.B. ranks about middle among provinces in latest COVID-19 numbers roundup

New Brunswick sits about the middle of the pack for new COVID-19 cases, deaths and positivity rates, while P.E.I. is in the worst spot among the provinces and territories, according to the latest figures from the federal government.

New Brunswick had the fifth highest rate of COVID-19 cases in the country last week, as the Omicron subvariants BA.5 and BA.4 continue to fuel a summer surge, the figures released on Friday show.

The province's rate of cases for the week ending July 16 was 127 per 100,000, according to Health Canada's website.

That's about one and a half times the national average of 82 cases per 100,000 people.

But it's significantly better than the rates in two of the other Atlantic provinces.

P.E.I. leads the country at a jaw-dropping 925 cases per 100,000, while Nova Scotia ranks a distant second at 180. Newfoundland and Labrador is seventh at 69.

There are signs of improvement though.

New Brunswick's rate last week is 51 per cent lower than its rate over that week and the previous week combined. Its rate of cases for the weeks of July 03 to July 16 is 260 cases per 100,000, earning it the fourth highest spot in the country.

The national average over that two-week period is 152 cases per 100,000.

P.E.I. and Nova Scotia still ranked first and second in Canada, but with much higher numbers — 1,645 and 343 cases per 100,000 respectively. Newfoundland and Labrador placed sixth with 149 cases per 100,000.

For rate of COVID deaths in the latest week, New Brunswick tied with B.C. for fifth place at 0.6 per 100,000 people.

That's higher than the national average of 0.5 per 100,000.

P.E.I. leads the country in this category too at 1.3 deaths per 100,000 people, while Newfoundland and Labrador is third at 0.8 and Nova Scotia, fourth at 0.7.

Again, these rates are all lower than compared to the two-week period.