COVID-19 cases on the rise in N.B., public health yet to determine if province is seeing 'summer surge'
Over the last week, the number of positive PCR and rapid COVID-19 tests have almost doubled when compared to the week before in New Brunswick, and the province added four more deaths bringing the total to 429.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell says the subvariant BA.5 is “increasing at a higher rate than BA.4” and makes up 33 per cent of random samples sequenced.
She says they’re watching the surge in other provinces – like Ontario and Quebec – but can’t confirm if New Brunswick is seeing the same trends yet.
“Right now, all I can tell you is that we’re seeing increases in numbers all across the board in terms of POCT tests, PCR tests, hospitalizations etc.,” she said. “We’re watching that closely.”
She said initially, the modeling in the spring suggested another wave in the fall – but with COVID-19, “there are no guarantees.”
In New Brunswick, fourth doses, or second boosters, are only available for those 50 and older so long as five months have passed since their last shot.
When that will change, Russell couldn’t say.
“We really base our decisions around what’s happening in New Brunswick right now. And our epidemiology team is really continuing to point us in the direction of those at highest risk, and so those are the people that we really need to make sure are eligible and get those boosters into them,” she said.
That includes those at most risk for hospitalization, including people aged 60 to 79, those living in long-term care, and individuals with a chronic medical condition.
Liberal leadership hopeful Donald Arseneault spoke out on social media, asking why – if there’s a supply – those boosters aren’t being made available for the wider public.
Arseneault, 47, booked an appointment at a pharmacy successfully, but was told by the pharmacy the day of that they couldn’t give it to him because of his age.
He has since come down with COVID-19 and says he knows several others who’ve also, recently, come down with the virus.
“One of my good friends in Saint John, I asked him why he didn’t go to the Memorial Cup last week and he said COVID is now rampant,” he said. “We had a Canada Day event in Dieppe last Wednesday and I know of five people that has COVID that potentially was related to that event – there was 150 people crammed in that room.”
Russell couldn’t say that the 12-day Memorial Cup event is the culprit, but confirmed the numbers in the Saint John region are the highest in the province.
“What I can say is when you look at the numbers from a zone perspective, from a region perspective, we definitely see the highest number right now in zone two and a sharp rise there,” she said. “Again, we know the risks increase when you’re indoors, without masks, etc. So the more time people spend outdoors, the lower the risk.”
Prince Edward Island is encouraging anyone over 12 to get their booster, no matter which one.
The island reported 1,070 new cases in the past week, with 10 people in hospital. Anyone 12 and over are eligible so long as six months have passed after their last shot, or three months after contracting the virus.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.