New Brunswick reports 86 people in hospital due to COVID-19 Monday, 13 in intensive care

Public health reported there are 86 people hospitalized due to COVID-19 in New Brunswick Monday, with 13 people in intensive care.

Of those in hospital:

• 65 are over the age of 60
• 10 people are on a ventilator
• No one 19 and under is hospitalized

“The rate of people hospitalized and in ICU continues to most greatly impact people who are unvaccinated. Information about the rates of cases and hospitalizations based on vaccination status, the age and origin of new cases, and additional information, is available on the COVID-19 dashboard,” reads a release from public health.

TWO NEW DEATHS

According to public health, two people died as a result of COVID-19 over the weekend. Both individuals were in their 70s. One person was in Zone 2 (Saint John region) and another person in Zone 7 (Miramichi region).

RAPID TEST KIT RESULTS

Public health reported 443 positive rapid (point of care) test results submitted with a Jan. 9 result date.

“Since the creation of the Point of Care Testing – Positive Result Self Reporting web portal on Jan. 5, more than 3,800 results from rapid tests have been submitted,” reads a release from public health.

According to the COVID-19 dashboard, there are 220 new positive PCR results and 7,668 active cases.

“Due to the delay between when people submit their results and the spread currently happening because of the Omicron variant, these numbers combined with the daily PCR positive results available on the COVID-19 dashboard are understood to be lower than the actual number of cases.”

The province is working to make enhancements to the COVID-19 dashboard to include daily self-reported positive test results, along with the health zones and age range of those who test positive.

Here is a breakdown of the active cases of COVID-19:

• Zone 1 (Moncton region) 2,108
• Zone 2 (Saint John region) 3,000
• Zone 3 (Fredericton region) 900
• Zone 4 (Edmundston region) 537
• Zone 5 (Campbellton region) 151
• Zone 6 (Bathurst region) 548
• Zone 7 (Miramichi region) 424

BOOSTERS ELIGIBILITY EXPANDED

New Brunswickers 18 and older are now eligible to schedule an appointment for a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine, as long as five months have passed since their second dose.

“Those eligible will be offered Moderna at booster clinics, regardless of which vaccine they received for previous doses. The limited supply of Pfizer booster doses is being reserved for people 12-29 because the risk of complications in this age group, while very small, is reduced with the Pfizer vaccine. There is no difference in risks between Moderna and Pfizer for people over 30,” reads the release.