3 COVID-19 deaths, 5 ICU admissions in N.B. in last week of September

Three people died in New Brunswick from COVID-19 during the last week of September, according to the province's latest respiratory watch report.

There were 35 hospitalizations, including five people admitted to an intensive care unit, in the week of Sept. 24 to Sept. 30. The majority of those hospitalized were 65 or older.

The number of deaths that week is up from the previous week, as is the number of ICU admissions. 

The definition of a COVID death was changed in early September and is now defined as a person with a confirmed case "who was admitted to hospital and whose death occurred during their stay."

There were also nine lab-confirmed outbreaks in the reporting period. This number includes nursing homes and "other facilities," which could include adult residential homes and correctional centres.

A total of 105 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported during the week, a slight increase from the previous week. 

The regional breakdown of the cases looks this way:

• Moncton region, Zone 1 — 33 cases.

• Saint John region, Zone 2 — 18 cases.

• Fredericton region, Zone 3 — 23 cases.

• Edmundston region, Zone 4 — 13 cases.

• Campbellton region, Zone 5 — five cases.

• Bathurst region, Zone 6 — nine cases.

• Miramichi region, Zone 7 — four cases.

Since the beginning of the respiratory season, which began on Aug. 27, there have been 489 lab-confirmed cases of COVID, the majority in the Moncton region, and nine deaths.

Outbreaks limit visitors at both Horizon, Vitalité 

Last week, Horizon Health Network announced a return to mandatory masking in certain situations, including if a regional hospital has two or more outbreak units and if a community hospital has one or more.

Masking is not required in public areas such as lobbies or cafeterias, but staff, doctors, volunteers, visitors and support workers are required to wear masks with patients. 

Social visitors are not permitted in Horizon hospital or long-term-care units where there is an active outbreak. 

As of Tuesday, Horizon's website showed 11 outbreaks:

• The Moncton Hospital has two outbreaks, in the geriatrics rehabilitation and orthopedics units.

• The Saint John Regional Hospital has four outbreaks, in the family medicine, orthopedics, internal medicine and surgery units.

• The Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton has outbreaks in the medical, palliative care and orthopedics/ENT/plastics unit.

• Charlotte County Hospital has one outbreak, on floor one.

• Centracare has an outbreak in the sustained care and rehab unit.

Designated support persons and social visitors are temporarily suspended in Vitalité units with a COVID-19 outbreak.

Three outbreaks are listed on Vitalité's website, updated on Oct. 10:

• The oncology unit at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton.

• The extended care unit at the Edmundston Regional Hospital.

• The forensic psychiatry unit — rehabilitation (D-2) unit at the Restigouche Hospital Centre.