N.B. reports 6 new COVID-19 deaths, increase in hospitalizations

New Brunswick is reporting six new COVID-19-related deaths in its weekly report Tuesday.

According to the province's update, the deaths involve:

• a person in their 70s
• five people in their 80s

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 615 people in New Brunswick have died of the virus.

The data in Tuesday’s report covers Nov. 20 to Nov. 26.

HOSPITALIZATIONS

The number of active hospitalizations for COVID-19 have increased over the last week, from 32 to 38. The number of hospital admissions also increased from 24 to 27.

As of Saturday, three people were being treated in intensive care.

According to the province, most people who are hospitalized for COVID-19 are in their 70s and 80s. The government also says unvaccinated people continue to have the highest rate of COVID-19 ICU admissions.

NEW CASES

The number of new PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased this week following a five-week period of decline.

The province reported 596 new cases in its weekly update, compared to 436 the week before.

As of Saturday, there were 790 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, up from 636.

The seven-day moving average of COVID-19 cases increased from 62 to 85.

The regional breakdown of the newest COVID-19 cases is as follows:

• Zone 1: 192
• Zone 2: 100
• Zone 3: 114
• Zone 4: 48
• Zone 5: 34
• Zone 6: 53
• Zone 7: 55

COVID-19 VARIANTS IN THE PROVINCE

Health officials in New Brunswick have given a recent random sample that was sequenced to better understand which COVID-19 variants are currently in the province.

• 0 per cent of samples are BA.1
• 2 per cent of samples are BA.2
• 0 per cent of samples are BA.3
• 6 per cent of samples are BA.4
• 92 per cent of samples are BA.5

VACCINATIONS

As of Saturday, 90.7 per cent of people in New Brunswick had one dose of vaccine, 85.6 per cent had two doses, 54.3 per cent had one booster and 26.9 per cent had two boosters.