N.B.’s COVID-19 hazard index doubles in a week, now highest in Canada, says researcher

New Brunswick’s COVID-19 hazard index has more than doubled in a week and is now the highest in the country, according to an infectious diseases researcher and co-founder of COVID-19 Resources Canada.

The province is still listed as “severe,” but its score for Oct. 21 to Nov. 3 has jumped to 22.8 from 10 a week ago, data posted by Tara Moriarty on social media Monday shows.

The national average is 21.2, with an estimated one in every 19 Canadians currently infected, says Moriarty, an associate professor at the University of Toronto.

In New Brunswick, about one in 10 people are infected.

Estimated infections across Canada are at or nearing the peak of all previous Omicron waves, except the December 2021 wave, according to Moriarty.

“We think mortality in Canada from this wave may reach the height of deaths from all previous COVID-19 waves in the pandemic to date, unless those at greatest risk of death from COVID-19 get their boosters ASAP,” she says.

COVID killed three more New Brunswickers between Oct. 8 and Oct. 14, according to Tuesday’s Respiratory Watch report.

All three people who died were aged 65 or older.

New Brunswick no longer provides a pandemic death toll and recently changed its definition of a COVID death to include only confirmed cases who die in hospital, but at least 949 New Brunswickers have now died from COVID.

57 hospitalizations, 2 to ICU

Fifty-seven people were hospitalized either for or with COVID during the reporting week, the report shows, the same number as the previous week.

Those hospitalized included a youth aged five to 19, three people aged 20 to 44, seven people aged 45 to 64, and 46 people aged 65 or older.

Two of these people required intensive care — one aged 45 to 64 and the other aged 65 or older. That’s down from seven ICU admissions during the first week of October.

A total of 14 lab-confirmed outbreaks were declared, compared to 20 in the previous report. At least two of these were at nursing homes, a chart indicates, while the others occurred at “other facilities,” which could include adult residential homes and correctional centres.

16% increase in new lab-confirmed cases

There were 154 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab tests, a nearly 16 per cent increase from the previous week.

The regional breakdown of positive cases includes:

• 33, Moncton region, Zone 1.
• 56, Saint John region, Zone 2.
• 28, Fredericton region, Zone 3.
• 15, Edmundston region, Zone 4.
• Seven, Campbellton region, Zone 5.
• Eight, Bathurst region, Zone 6.
• Seven, Miramichi region, Zone 7.

“COVID-19 activity remains moderate; most indicators remained stable throughout the current reporting period,” the report says.

CBC asked to speak to outgoing Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell or another Public Health official, but Department of Health spokesperson Sean Hatchard said an interview was “not possible.”

11 outbreaks on hospital units

Horizon Health Network has 97 active COVID-19 patients as of Oct. 21, up from 76 the previous week, its COVID-19 dashboard shows.

Six people require intensive care, up from four.

The number of health-care workers off the job because they tested positive for COVID has decreased to 38 from 60.

There are COVID outbreaks on 11 hospital units, down from 13. These include:

• The Moncton Hospital — geriatrics rehabilitation, cardiology and stroke unit.
• Saint John Regional Hospital — surgery and oncology.
• St. Joseph’s Hospital — transitional care units, Floor 7 and Floor 8.
• Charlotte County Hospital — Floor 1.
• Ridgewood — Victory Unit.
• Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital — medical unit, orthopedics, ear, nose and throat and plastics.
• Oromocto Public Hospital — medical unit.

Vitalité Health Network is still only updating its COVID report monthly, with its next report due on Oct. 31. It has, however, updated it COVID outbreak page. As of Monday, there are outbreaks on two units at the Campbellton Regional Hospital — the geriatric unit and transitional care unit.

Flu sends person aged 20 to 44 to hospital

One new influenza A case was reported in the Saint John region, Zone 2, between Oct. 8 and Oct. 14, and the person, aged 20 to 44, had to be hospitalized, the province’s report shows.

The flu situation is considered “stable,” it says.

A total of five flu cases have been reported so far this respiratory season.

An influenza-like illness outbreak was reported at one school during the reporting week. No details about the school, number of cases, or breakdown of students versus staff are provided.

School outbreaks are based on 10 per cent absenteeism at a school because of influenza-like symptoms, the report says.

More than 31,000 people have received a flu shot to date, the Department of Health told CBC.