COVID-19 kills 2 more in N.B., flu sends child under 4 and 2 youths to hospital
COVID activity remains moderate, influenza activity has decreased, latest Respiratory Watch report says
COVID-19 has killed two more New Brunswickers, while a child under four and two youths aged five to 19 are among those hospitalized by the flu, Tuesday's Respiratory Watch report shows.
"COVID-19 activity remains moderate; some indicators (number of cases, percent positivity, and number of deaths) remained stable during the current reporting period," April 7 to April 13, the report says.
Influenza activity decreased slightly, it says.
The two people who died from COVID during the reporting week were both aged 65 or older.
Their deaths raise the provincial pandemic total to at least 1,030. The actual number is unclear because the Department of Health counts only people who die in hospital as COVID deaths.
Hospitalizations increase to 18
Eighteen people were hospitalized for or with COVID, up from 11 in the previous report.
None required intensive care, down from two
Of those hospitalized, two were aged 45 to 64, while the others were 65 or older.
Lab-confirmed COVID outbreaks dropped to two, from four. Neither outbreak was in a nursing home. They were both in "other facilities," the report says.
Horizon Health Network is reporting one hospital unit outbreak, as of Monday, at the Ridgewood Veterans Wing in Saint John, while Vitalité says Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst has outbreaks on two units — general medicine and extended care (4 West).
There were 27 new cases of COVID confirmed through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab tests, up slightly from the 25 cases confirmed the previous week
The positivity rate — or the percentage of lab tests performed that produced a positive result — remains unchanged at three per cent.
A total of 151,677 COVID-19 vaccines have now been administered since Oct. 4, the Department of Health said.
Spring boosters have been available since April 2 to New Brunswickers considered most at risk of severe illness. The spring doses will be available until June 15, the department has said.
New flu cases decrease 30%
No flu deaths were reported between April 7 and April 13, according to the report.
The flu sent five people to hospital that week and none to ICU. That's down from eight and two, respectively, in the previous report.
No flu outbreaks were reported, down from one.
Influenza-like illness outbreaks in schools increased to two, from one a week ago. No details are provided, but school outbreaks are based on absence of 10 per cent because of influenza-like illness symptoms, according to the report.
The number of new flu cases confirmed by lab tests decreased to 74 from 106, and the positivity rate is eight per cent, down from 10.
Six of the new cases were influenza A and 68 were influenza B.
There have now been 3,505 flu cases confirmed since the respiratory season began on Aug. 27.
A total of 223,198 New Brunswickers have been vaccinated against the flu this season, according to figures from the department.