N.B. reports three more deaths related to COVID-19, 138 in hospital Tuesday
Health officials in New Brunswick are reporting three new deaths related to COVID-19 on Tuesday.
Public health says the deaths involve a person in their 80s and a person aged 90 and over, both in the Bathurst region (Zone 6), and a person in their 70s in the Miramichi region (Zone 7).
According to the province's COVID-19 online dashboard, there have been 215 deaths related to COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.
VACCINE UPDATE
More New Brunswickers are rolling up their sleeves for a COVID-19 booster dose, with over 101,000 booster shots administered over a two-week period, according to public health.
“I want to thank every New Brunswicker who has rolled up their sleeve for a booster shot, as well as the nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals who are administering doses in regional health authority clinics and pharmacies across the province,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health.
As of Tuesday, health officials say 39.4 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have received their booster dose.
Russell strongly recommends that those who are eligible book an appointment for a booster dose.
“Being fully protected through vaccine is our most effective way to protect the health system," she said
According to the province's online dashboard, as of Tuesday, 1,607,499 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.
Of those, 688,436 were first doses, 628,899 were second doses, and 290,164 were booster doses.
The province says booster doses are available to everyone 18 and over, as long as five months have passed since their second dose.
Appointments can be booked online at vaccination clinics offered through the Vitalité and Horizon health networks, or by phone at 1-833-437-1424.
HOSPITALIZATIONS
As of Tuesday, public health says there are 138 people in hospital due to COVID-19, 11 of whom are in intensive care.
Of those in hospital:
- 82 were hospitalized for reasons other than COVID-19
- 106 are aged 60 and over
- three people are on ventilators
- four people are aged 19 and under
“While hospitalizations continue to rise, they are trending below our original projections,” said Russell. “The data indicates that New Brunswickers have reduced their contacts by about 30 per cent. This has made a tremendous difference to our acute care system, which has been heavily impacted by employees who are absent due to Omicron and the increasing number of patients.”
Health officials say there are also 482 health-care workers who have tested positive and are isolating as of Tuesday.
CASE DATA
According to the province's online dashboard, an additional 350 new PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases have been identified on Tuesday. The dashboard also reports 337 new recoveries, bringing the total number of active infections to 5,359.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.