COVID-19 kills New Brunswicker aged 45-64, 2 youth among those hospitalized by flu

A New Brunswicker aged 45 to 64 has died from COVID-19, while the flu sent eight people to the hospital, including two youth aged five to 19, updated data from the province Tuesday shows.

"COVID-19 activity remains moderate," according to the Respiratory Watch report. "Some indicators (number of cases, percent positivity, and hospitalizations) decreased slightly during the current reporting period, between March 31 and April 6.

Influenza activity remained "relatively stable," it says.

The latest COVID death raises the provincial pandemic total to at least 1,028. The actual number is unclear because the Department of Health counts only people who die in hospital as COVID deaths.

Eleven people were hospitalized because of COVID or for something else and later tested positive for the virus. That's down from 13 hospitalizations in the previous report.

Two people required intensive care, up from none.

New Brunswick began offering spring COVID-19 vaccine booster doses on April 2 to those considered most at risk of severe illness. (Joe Burbank/The Associated Press)

Of those hospitalized, two were aged 20 to 44, one was 45 to 64, and the other eight were 65 or older, including the two in ICU, the report shows.

Four lab-confirmed COVID outbreaks were declared during the reporting week, up from two. Three were in nursing homes and one was in a facility described only as "other."

There were 25 new cases of COVID confirmed through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab tests, the same number as a week ago.

The positivity rate — or the percentage of lab tests performed that produced a positive result — is three per cent, down from four.

About 900 COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the past week, raising the total to 149,984 vaccinations 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.

Story continues

Spring doses will be available until June 15, followed by a fall campaign, the Department of Health has said.

2 young adults in ICU with flu

No flu deaths were reported between March 31 and April 6.

The eight flu hospitalizations represents a jump from three in the previous report. Two people were admitted to intensive care, up from none.

In addition to the two youth hospitalized, there were also two people aged 20 to 44, both of whom required ICU, two aged 45 to 64, and two aged 65 or older.

One flu outbreak was reported, down from two a week ago. It was in a nursing home, the report shows.

There was also one new influenza-like illness school outbreak, up from none. No details are provided, but school outbreaks are based on 10 per cent absenteeism because of influenza-like illness symptoms, according to the report.

New flu cases confirmed by lab tests decreased to 106 from 115, and the positivity rate is 10 per cent, down from 12.

Eleven of the new cases were influenza A and 95 were influenza B.

These raise the total number of flu cases in the province since the respiratory season began on Aug. 27 to 3,389.

About 180 New Brunswickers rolled up their sleeves for the flu shot in the past week, data from the Department of Health shows. A total of 223,043 people have now been vaccinated against the flu since Oct. 4.