It comes as New Brunswick recorded four more deaths from COVID-19 in the past week, the number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 has nearly doubled and nearly 2,500 new infections have been reported, recent figures show. The decision to reduce eligibility for the fourth dose from 50 is based on increasing risk and is “in line” with most Canadian jurisdictions, despite predating federal advice, said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. There are indications that New Brunswick is at the beginning of a period of “increased activity” of COVID-19, driven by Omicron’s BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, he said, without calling it a new wave of the pandemic. “Each jurisdiction has had a different experience with COVID. Some people are calling it the third wave of Omicron, some are calling it the seventh wave. We here in New Brunswick are really following our epidemiologist’s recommendation – this is week 27 of the year 2022 COVID, exactly as we mention for the year of the flu.” The province wants its reporting of COVID to be consistent with other respiratory illnesses, Russell said. But he did not rule out using the term “wave” again at some point. “I’m not going to say never. I just don’t use it today.”
The Omicron BA.5 sub-variant now dominates
The highly contagious BA.5 quickly overtook Omicron BA.2 as the dominant strain in the province, accounting for 45 percent of the most recent random samples sent for sequencing, compared with 23 percent, according to the province’s COVIDWatch report . BA.4 is a close second, accounting for 32 percent of the samples. Both BA.5 and BA.4 have shown the ability to evade the protection afforded by previous infection. But data emerging from countries where they have already prevailed, such as South Africasuggest that they are no more severe than previous sub-variants of Omicron. “Vaccination is the best way to reduce risk,” Russell said. “Expanding eligibility for boosters will give people an extra layer of protection.” A total of 2,465 new cases of COVID-19 were reported last week, according to Tuesday’s COVIDWatch report. (Government of New Brunswick) New Brunswick’s rates for the first and second installments were unchanged again this week at 93.3 percent and 88.2 percent, while the third installment rate rose 0.1 percent to 52.9 percent. People who got their second dose “either didn’t know their immunity was going to wane, or they had bad side effects and didn’t really see the need to do it again,” Russell suggested. Asked if the province has a plan to boost vaccination rates, other than encouraging people to get vaccinated, she said, “it’s just continuing to let people know that everyone’s risk factor is age, immune system, chronic conditions. Again, we know that immunity goes down. “And that’s how we want people to really take it [whatever] aid for which they are eligible’. The fourth installment increased by three percent, to 21.7 percent, among those 50 and older and five percent, to 37.2 percent, among those 70 and older, Russell said.
NACI recommendations for 2nd amps
Last month, the National Immunization Advisory Committee recommended that people age 65 and older who are at high risk of severe disease from a COVID-19 infection should be offered a booster shot this fall, regardless of how many boosters they received previously. Everyone else — ages 12 to 64 — “may be offered” the additional doses in the fall, NACI’s updated guidance said. Booster doses may be offered six months after a person’s previous COVID-19 vaccine dose or COVID-19 infection, the advisory body recommended. “However, a shorter period at least [three] months may be justified in the context of the increased epidemiological risk, as well as operational considerations for the effective development of the program. As it stands, NACI has strongly recommended second booster shots for COVID-19 for people age 80 and older and people living in long-term care and other congregate settings. Provinces may consider offering a second booster to 70- to 79-year-olds in the community, and a second booster “may also be considered” for adults under 70 of or from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, he said. the NACI. Some provinces, such as PEI, have opened second COVID boosters to people up to age 12. In New Brunswick, booster doses are available at pharmacies. Public Health will also offer clinics in certain areas of the province to ensure access, according to a press release. In addition to vaccines, it’s important that people continue to stay home when they’re sick, get tested when they have symptoms and practice good hand hygiene, Russell said. People can also choose outdoor social activities over indoor ones to reduce their risks, he added.
Deaths and hospitalizations
Two people in their 70s and two in their 80s have died of COVID-19, the province’s COVIDWatch report shows. Two of them lived in the Moncton area, Zone 1, and two in the Fredericton area, Zone 3. Their deaths bring the death toll from the pandemic to 433. Horizon and Vitalité health networks have 95 patients with COVID as of Saturday, seven of whom require intensive care, their COVID dashboards show. That’s up from 50 and four respectively a week earlier. This includes patients admitted for COVID as well as those who were initially admitted for another reason and later tested positive for the virus. Meanwhile, the province, which only counts those admitted for COVID, says the number of active hospitalizations and hospital admissions fell between July 3 and July 9. There are 17 people in hospital, up from 19, including two in intensive care, an increase of one, according to the weekly COVIDWatch report. The number of people recently hospitalized for COVID-19 dropped to 15 from 22, it says. A child under the age of 10 is among the new entrants. The others include one person in their 40s, two people in their 50s, two in their 60s, four in their 70s, two in their 80s and three in their 90s. Horizon has 78 patients with COVID-19, including six in intensive care, as of Saturday, while Vitalité has 17 patients with COVID-19, including one in intensive care. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) Horizon has 78 active COVID-19 admissions, including six in intensive care, as of Saturday, according to the COVID-19 dashboard. This is up from 36 and 3 respectively in last week’s update. The breakdown of cases includes:
Moncton Area, Zone 1 — 22. Saint John Region, Zone 2 — 36. Fredericton Area, Zone 3 — 15. Miramichi Area, Zone 7 — five.
The dashboard does not provide details about which hospitals have patients. Vitalité has 17 hospitalized COVID-19 patients since Saturday, up from 14, including one in intensive care, unchanged. The University Hospital Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont in Moncton, Campbellton Regional Hospital and Tracadie Hospital each have five patients, Edmundston Regional Hospital has one in intensive care and Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst has one patient, the dashboard shows.
2,465 new cases
A total of 2,465 new cases of COVID-19 were reported last week, up from 1,915 the previous week and 1,025 the week before. This includes 1,044 cases confirmed through a laboratory PCR test (out of 768) and 1,421 self-reported by people who tested positive in a rapid test (out of 1,147). There are now 1,382 active cases across the province, based on PCR cases alone, up from 966 a week ago.
19 hospital unit cases
There are cases of COVID-19 in 14 Horizon Hospital units, compared to eight a week ago — four in the Moncton area, Zone 1, eight in the Saint John area, Zone 2 one in the Fredericton area, Zone 3 and one in the Miramichi area, Zone 7. No details were available on the dashboard, but Horizon spokesman Kris McDavid said they include:
Moncton Hospital Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Unit 3400, Rehabilitation Unit 4400 and Stroke Unit 4600. Brunswick Unit of Sackville Memorial Hospital. Saint John Regional Hospital 5CS Family Medicine Unit, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, 4CS Rehabilitation Unit, 4CN Internal Medicine Unit, 4AN Transitional Care Unit, and 5CN Family Medicine Unit. Sussex Health Center Family Medicine Unit South Wing. Geriatric Assessment Unit of St. Joseph’s Hospital, Geriatrics Emergency Management, 5th Floor. Miramichi Regional Hospital 1 East Rehabilitation/Alternative Level of Care Unit.
Vitalité has five focal units: the Tracadie Hospital Medical Unit and 2nd North Unit, the Campbellton Regional Hospital Geriatric Unit and the Restigouche Hospital Center C-1 Continuing Rehabilitation Unit.
204 healthcare workers due to COVID
Horizon has seen some improvement in the number of health care workers off the job after either testing positive for COVID-19 or coming into contact with a positive case, according to the dashboard. As of Saturday, there have been 83 staff absences due to COVID. Last week 100 workers were absent. No analysis provided. Meanwhile, Vitalité has 121 workers out of 82. Moncton, Zone 1, has the largest share, with 38, followed by Bathurst, Zone 6, with 35, Campbellton, Zone 5, with 30 and the Edmundston area, Zone 4, with 18. Due to “ongoing shortages” of doctors and nursing staff, Vitalité is urging the public to avoid visiting emergency departments for any non-urgent health concerns. “People who still come to emergency for non-urgent reasons could be asked to return later, redirected to the community or face a long wait,” the regional health authority advised in a press release. People whose health conditions are not critical are encouraged to make an appointment with their family doctor, talk to their community pharmacist, call Tele-Care (811) or schedule a virtual…
