N.B. reports 119th COVID-19 related death, 60 new cases Wednesday

Dr. Bogoch on rising subvariant cases Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch discusses the rise of Omicron subvariants and if there will be another COVID-19 wave soon.

HALIFAX — Health officials in New Brunswick are reporting the province's 119th COVID-19 related death, along with 60 new COVID-19 cases and 71 recoveries on Wednesday, as the total number of active cases in the province drops to 458.

In a news release, the province confirmed that a person in their 50s in the Moncton region (Zone 1), died as a result of COVID-19.

“All New Brunswickers can play a role in helping us move beyond this fourth wave,” said N.B. chief medical officer Dr. Jennifer Russell in a news release. “Please continue to wear a mask in indoor public spaces, wash your hands frequently and book an appointment to get vaccinated if you have not yet done so.”

According to health officials, 47 of Wednesday's 60 new cases, or 78 per cent, are unvaccinated. One case, or two per cent, are partially vaccinated, and 12 cases, or 20 per cent, are fully vaccinated.

The province says there are currently 19 people in hospital in New Brunswick due to COVID-19, with 13 in an intensive care unit. Of those currently in hospital, 13 are unvaccinated, and six are fully vaccinated.

Of the 13 people in the ICU, 10 are unvaccinated, and three are fully vaccinated.

CUPE STRIKE AFFECTING PANDEMIC RESPONSE: PROVINCE

The province says the ongoing CUPE strike is impacting some areas of the COVID-19 response.

“Some regional health authority vaccination clinics and COVID-19 screening at assessment centres have had to be cancelled or rescheduled. At this time, regional health authority vaccination clinics are only accepting people with scheduled appointments and are not able to accommodate walk-in appointments. People are asked to be patient with staff and expect delays,” said the province in a release.

Other COVID-19 services that have been affected include the cancellation of Horizon Health Network’s mobile rapid-screening kit pickup locations and some rapid-screening kit pickup sites within the Vitalité Health Network. A complete list of available sites for Vitalité Health Network is available online.

CASE DATA

New Brunswick has had 6,576 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

In total, 5,998 people have recovered and 119 people have died in the province from COVID-19.

Public health says a total of 528,499 COVID-19 tests have been processed since the start of the pandemic.

The number of cases are broken down by New Brunswick’s seven health zones:

Twenty-seven new cases were reported in the Moncton region (Zone 1) involving:

Twenty cases are under investigation and seven are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Ten new cases were reported in the Saint John region (Zone 2) involving:

Six cases are under investigation and four are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Six new cases were reported in the Fredericton region (Zone 3) involving:

Four cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and two are under investigation.

Five new cases were reported in the Edmundston region (Zone 4) involving:

Four cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and the other is under investigation.

Two new cases were reported in the Campbellton region (Zone 5) involving a person in their 20s and a person in their 60s. Both cases are under investigation.

Ten new cases were reported in the Miramichi region (Zone 7) involving:

Eight cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and two are under investigation.

VACCINE UPDATE

As of Wednesday, 85.3 per cent of New Brunswickers age 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 92.7 per cent have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In total, 1,239,306 vaccine doses have been administered in New Brunswick.

All provincial government employees, staff in long-term care facilities and staff and volunteers in schools and licensed early learning and child-care facilities must be fully vaccinated by Friday, Nov. 19.

All eligible New Brunswickers can book their second dose appointments now for a date that is at least 28 days after their first dose.

CASES IN SCHOOLS AND CHILD-CARE FACILITIES

You can find information on cases in schools on the Healthy and Safe Schools website and the COVID-19 dashboard.

POTENTIAL PUBLIC EXPOSURES

A full list of potential COVID-19 exposure notifications in New Brunswick can be found on the province's website.

Anyone with symptoms of the virus, as well as anyone who has been at the site of a possible public exposure, is urged to request a test online or call Tele-Care at 811 to get an appointment.