Despite rising caseloads, hospitalizations in New Brunswick steady at zero

SAINT JOHN, N.B. -

It’s been nearly two weeks since New Brunswick lifted all of its pandemic-related restrictions, and although active cases in the province are climbing, the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 has held steady at zero.

Health Minister Dorothy Shephard points to the early prioritization of vaccinating seniors as part of the reason the province is not seeing new admissions.

“We have a high number of our population that’s vaccinated, so transmission and receiving the COVID virus is hampered. And if you do get it, the vaccine is a protection that keeps symptoms manageable and low."

Public heath says 70.5 per cent of the eligible population is now fully vaccinated – a number that’s still a ways off from the original target for reopening of 75 per cent.

The province is continuing its push to get more shots into arms, especially for younger New Brunswickers. Public Health says more than 11,000 youth between the ages of 12 and 19 are not fully vaccinated and approximately 19,000 have not received a first dose.

Although there are no hospitalizations currently, there is a concern in the health care community with warnings of a fourth wave and the pressure that could put on the health care system.

“The system is already under severe strain, just with the fact that so many patients did wait to receive care during the more challenging periods of the pandemic,” says Anthony Knight, CEO of the New Brunswick Medical Society.

“We’re seeing increased utilization of the health care system as a consequence as we’re in the green phase.”

Knight says any substantial increase in hospital admissions due to COVID-19 would mean much more stress for those providing critical care to New Brunswickers - a situation other regions are already seeing and struggling with.

“We know in Maine, they’re hospitalizing about three people a day,” says Shephard.

“The more cases we have, the more opportunity there will be for the virus to catch hold of someone who will become seriously ill and need to be hospitalized.”

Over the course of the entire COVID-19 pandemic so far, 139 people in New Brunswick have had to be hospitalized due to the virus.