N.B. reports 11 more COVID-19 deaths, slight increase in hospital admissions
CBC
COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 11 more New Brunswickers, the province reported Tuesday, and the number of people admitted to the hospital because of the virus has increased "slightly" in the past week, while the number of confirmed cases has decreased.
All of the people who died were aged 70 or older, a comparison of the latest COVIDWatch report with last week's report shows.
None of them died during the reporting week in question, Jan. 15-21. "Deaths are subject to a lag in reporting," the report says. Two of the deaths occurred earlier in January and nine happened in December, raising the province's pandemic death toll to 773.
Seventeen people were newly admitted to hospital because of the virus, four of whom required intensive care, according to the province. That's up from 14 and two respectively in the previous report.
Among the new admissions, four people were aged 60 to 69 and the others were aged 70 or older.
The province no longer provides the number of people currently hospitalized because of COVID as part of reporting changes.
But the two regional health authorities say there are 94 New Brunswickers hospitalized, as of Saturday, down from 107 the previous week. Six people require intensive care, up from one.
That 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.
No one from Public Health was available for an interview Tuesday, said Department of Health spokespeson Adam Bowie.
A total of 482 positive cases of COVID were reported across the province over the past week, down from 555 the previous week.
There were 321 cases confirmed through a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab test (down from 433), and 161 people self-reported testing positive on a rapid test (up from 122).
Fewer PCR tests were conducted — 3,524, compared to 4,161.
The regional breakdown of the 321 new PCR-confirmed cases includes:
Of the 177 most recent random samples sent for genetic sequencing, 94 per cent were the Omicron subvariant BA.5, three per cent were XBB, two per cent were BA.2, and one per cent were BA.4.
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