N.B. reports one additional death related to COVID-19 Wednesday, 10 new hospital admissions

Health officials in New Brunswick reported another death related to COVID-19 on Wednesday, involving a person aged 80 and over in the Saint John region (Zone 2).

According to the province's COVID-19 online dashboard, there have been 174 deaths due to the virus.

Public health says, as of Wednesday, there are 94 people in hospital due to COVID-19 in New Brunswick, an increase of 10 people since Tuesday and a new high since the pandemic began.  

Of those in hospital:

• 10 people are in intensive care
• 74 are over the age of 60
• four are on a ventilator
• 73 per cent are either unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or it has been six months since their second dose
• One person is under the age of 19

“We are seeing increased numbers of COVID-positive patients being admitted to hospital,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. “Of the 94 currently hospitalized, 34 were admitted for reasons other than COVID-19, meaning they came to the hospital to be treated for something unrelated to COVID and tested positive once they were admitted.”

The seven-day rolling average of hospitalizations is available on the COVID-19 dashboard.

BOOSTER APPOINTMENTS

On Monday, Jan. 10, more than 23,100 appointments were booked for a COVID-19 booster dose.

Booster shots in New Brunswick are now available to everyone aged 18 and older, as long as five months have passed since their second dose.

688 NEW CASES

Public health reported 688 new positive rapid (point-of-care) test results on Wednesday.

"These totals are based on information received by the Department of Health from the public and are not intended to be taken as a true representation of the total number of cases in the province," reads a release from the province.

People with COVID-19 symptoms are required to register online for a PCR test or rapid test under the provincial government’s testing strategy. Those who receive a positive rapid-test result are reminded to submit their result online through the self-reporting web portal.

COVID-19 PEAK EXPECTED IN COMING WEEKS

Health officials in New Brunswick expect the worst of the COVID-19 peak to happen in the coming weeks.

“We must all limit our contacts by seeing fewer people and distancing appropriately,” said Russell. “We all need to be prepared for COVID-19 and have a plan to ensure we have enough supplies to care for ourselves and our families.”

The province is predicting 220 active hospitalizations by early February if more precautions aren't taken by residents.

As of Wednesday, there are 369 health-care workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are isolating.