N.B. surpasses 250 deaths related to COVID-19 with 4 more reported Thursday

New Brunswick has now seen more than 250 deaths related to COVID-19 as health officials reported four more deaths on Thursday.

According to the province’s online dashboard, the deaths involve:

• A person in their 70s from Zone 2 (Saint John region)
• Two people in their 90s from Zone 3 (Fredericton region)
• A person in their 90s from Zone 6 (Bathurst region)

There have been 251 deaths reported in New Brunswick since the start of the pandemic, with more than 88 of those recorded since the beginning of January.

According to the province, 60 per cent of the deaths have been in people with partial or no vaccine protection, while 40 per cent were "protected," which public health defines as boosted or fully vaccinated less than six months.

HOSPITALIZATIONS

According to the province’s online dashboard, a total of 165 people were hospitalized as of Thursday.

Of those in hospital, 68 were admitted due to COVID-19, while 97 were admitted for other reasons, but tested positive for the virus.

Fourteen people are in intensive care with COVID-19 on Thursday. Thirteen patients were admitted to the unit due to the virus, and one was admitted for other reasons, but has tested positive for COVID-19.

Six people are currently on ventilators in New Brunswick.

NEW CASES

There were 411 new PCR-confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported Thursday in New Brunswick.

Officials are also reporting 485 new cases using rapid tests.

The breakdown of the new PCR-confirmed cases by health zone is as follows:

• Zone 1 – the Moncton region – 108 new cases
• Zone 2 – the Saint John region - 103 new cases
• Zone 3 – the Fredericton region - 85 new cases
• Zone 4 – the Edmundston region – 45 new cases
• Zone 5 – the Campbellton region - 17 new cases
• Zone 6 – the Bathurst region - 39 new cases
• Zone 7 – the Miramichi region - 14 new cases

According to the online dashboard, there are 4,012 active cases of the virus confirmed in New Brunswick.

HEALTH-CARE WORKERS IN ISOLATION

As of Thursday, there were a total of 392 health-care workers who had tested positive for COVID-19 and were isolating.

Here is a breakdown of the health-care workers isolating as of Thursday:

• Vitalité Health Network - 136
• Horizon Health Network - 175
• Ambulance New Brunswick - 81

VACCINATION UPDATE

As of Thursday, 92.2 per cent of New Brunswickers have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 84.8 per cent are fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine, and 45.2 per cent have now received a booster dose.

In total, 1,668,394 doses of the vaccine have been administered in New Brunswick.