New Brunswick reports 10 deaths related to COVID-19; cases continue to rise

Health officials in New Brunswick are reporting 10 more deaths related to COVID-19 in the province’s weekly update on Tuesday.

The numbers released Tuesday cover case data from April 3 to April 9.

According to the province’s COVIDWATCH website, there have been 368 deaths in the province since the start of the pandemic.

HOSPITALIZATIONS

On Tuesday, 79 people were in hospital with the virus, an increase of one from the last update. This includes 13 people in intensive care, a jump of four since last week.

The province says the highest portion of hospitalizations for COVID-19 is among individuals aged 60 to 79.

NEW CASES

According to the province, the number of PCR confirmed cases has continued to increase over the past three weeks.

New Brunswick is reporting 3,962 new PCR-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province. The majority of these are in Zones 1, 2 and 3. Another 3,772 cases are being reported by rapid tests.

VACCINATION UPDATE

According to COVIDWATCH, 317 New Brunswickers got their first dose of vaccine since the last update. Out of eligible residents, 93 per cent have received their first dose of vaccine, 87.7 per cent have their second, and 51.6 per cent have their third.

CALLS FOR BETTER ACCESS TO RAPID TESTS

Currently, New Brunswick doesn’t offer PCR tests unless you are over the age of 50, immunocompromised or work in a health-care setting. Those in New Brunswick also can’t get a rapid test unless they have COVID-19 symptoms.

There are calls to adopt what Nova Scotia is doing, where PCR and rapid tests are widely available.

“There’s been two lockdowns in the last two-and-a-half months in my mother’s retirement home. When she’s allowed out for supper on Sundays, all of us are supposed to rapid test,” said New Brunswick Green Party Leader David Coon. “I’m over 50, and I can’t get a rapid test. My daughters have to lie and say that they’ve got symptoms to get a rapid test. So, this is a problem.”

Coon would like to see rapid tests readily available at libraries, Service New Brunswick locations and MLA offices.

He says it would also alleviate the health networks from doing the task – Horizon and Vitalité have been responsible for distributing rapid tests since the fall.