COVID-19 kills 2 more in N.B., hospitalizations up nearly 63%, 1 in 52 people may be infected

New Brunswick reported two more COVID-19 deaths and a nearly 63 per cent week-over-week jump in hospitalizations Tuesday, while an infectious diseases researcher says about one in 52 of us are currently infected with the virus.

Intensive care unit admissions, COVID outbreaks and new confirmed cases also all increased during the first week of October, according to the province's Respiratory Watch report.

Two people aged 65 or older died from COVID between Oct. 1 and Oct. 7, the report shows.

The province changed its definition of a COVID death last month to "a confirmed case who was admitted to hospital and whose death occurred during their stay."

Asked during a recent media briefing why New Brunswick is now treating COVID-19 differently from other diseases, such as cancer, counting only deaths that occur in hospital, Dr. Yves Léger, the province's acting deputy chief medical officer of health, said the old method was "very cumbersome and resource-intensive," and led to delays of up to three months in some cases.

New Brunswick was previously reporting COVID deaths as those where the virus was either the primary cause of death or a directly contributing factor.

Asked whether the change will skew the picture of what's actually happening in the province since many COVID deaths occur in nursing homes and other settings, Léger said the "vast majority" of COVID deaths occur in hospitals.

The pandemic death toll is no longer provided, but at least 946 New Brunswickers have now died from COVID.

Person aged 20 to 44 in ICU

Fifty-seven people were hospitalized either for or with the virus during the reporting week, up from 35 the previous week.

Seven of these people required intensive care, up from five.

Among those admitted to ICU, one is 20 to 44 years old, one is 45 to 64, and the other five are 65 or older, according to a chart.

The number of lab-confirmed outbreaks has more than doubled to 20, from nine. This includes about nine nursing homes, a chart indicates, and "other facilities," which could include adult residential homes and correctional centres.

A total of 133 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab tests, up from 105 the previous week.

The positivity rate remained stable at 14 per cent, according to the report.

CBC asked to speak to Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health, or another Public Health official, but was told an interview "wasn't possible."

Last Friday, Russell confirmed her resignation and her candidacy for the position of president-elect of the Canadian Medical Association. Her last official day at Public Health will be Dec. 8, according to an internal memo obtained by CBC News.

'Severe' hazard index

New Brunswick's COVID hazard index for Oct. 7 to 20 is "severe" at 10, with about one in 52 people in the province now infected, according to Tara Moriarty, an infectious diseases researcher and co-founder of COVID-19 Resources Canada.

Severe is the highest of the six-level hazard index, which is calculated based on three equally-weighted categories: current infections and spread, health-care system impact and mortality.

The national average is 12.5, with about one in 25 people infected and infections increasing by about 12 per cent per week, Moriarty, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, posted on social media Monday.

Nova Scotia is listed as highest in the country at 18.4, while P.E.I. is the lowest at 6.4.

Compared to the lowest point of the pandemic in Canada, COVID infections in New Brunswick are roughly seven times higher, said Moriarty.

Hospitalizations are about 18 times higher, deaths, about six times higher, and long COVID, about two times higher, she said.

824 updated vaccines administered Monday

More than 800 New Brunswickers rolled up their sleeves Monday to get a dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine that targets the circulating Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant, according to the Department of Health.

Monday was the first day the new Moderna COVID vaccines were available in the province to people aged six months or older, if it's been at least six months since their last dose or COVID infection.

There were 824 scheduled appointments for Moderna's new Spikevax vaccine and 514 scheduled appointments for the flu shot, said spokesperson Sean Hatchard.

The new Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccines are expected to arrive in late October or early November, the department has said.

In total, 4,189 appointments for COVID XBB.1.5 vaccination and 2,465 for influenza vaccination have been booked for the fall season to date through the government's online scheduler, said Hatchard.

Asked how this uptake compares to previous COVID-19 vaccine campaigns and how Public Health feels about it, Hatchard did not respond directly but pointed out the numbers do not include individuals who may have booked an appointment through a pharmacy that isn't part of the province's online booking system.

Earlier this month, Léger said Public Health is concerned that fewer people are choosing to get vaccinated.

Protection wanes over time, so it's important people who are eligible get another dose, he said.

The newest vaccines are better matched to the COVID strains now circulating in New Brunswick and are designed to provide better protection than previous vaccines, Léger added.

Hatchard said the government is monitoring vaccination uptake and also promoting the benefits of it through a marketing campaign and on its various social media platforms.

Horizon sees 82% jump in infected health-care workers

Horizon Health Network has 76 active COVID-19 patients, as of Oct. 14, up from 66 the previous week, its COVID-19 dashboard shows.

Four people require intensive care, down from five.

Staff absences because of the virus have jumped nearly 82 per cent in the past week to 60, from 33.

There are COVID-19 outbreaks on 13 Horizon hospital units. They include:

• The Moncton Hospital — geriatrics rehabilitation, orthopedics and cardiology.
• Saint John Regional Hospital — surgery and oncology.
• St. Joseph's Hospital — transitional care unit.
• 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.

In anticipation of an increase in COVID-19 cases, Horizon already 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.

Vitalité is still only updating its COVID report monthly, with its next report due on Oct. 31. It has, however, updated it COVID outbreak page. There were outbreaks on four hospital units, as of Monday:

• Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre — oncology unit.
• Edmundston Regional Hospital — extended care unit.
• Campbellton Regional Hospital — transitional care unit.
• Restigouche Hospital Centre — forensic psychiatry unit, rehabilitation (D-2).

2 lab-confirmed flu cases, 1 school outbreak

Two cases of influenza A were confirmed by lab tests between Oct. 1 and Oct. 7, doubling the province's total since the season began on Aug. 27, the Respiratory Watch report shows.

Half of the people infected to date have been aged 45 to 64, while the other half have been 65 or older.

The latest cases are in the Saint John region, Zone 2, and the Fredericton region, Zone 3, while the previous cases were in the Campbellton region, Zone 5, and Bathurst region, Zone 6.

One influenza-like outbreak was reported at a school, which is above the historical average for this time of year, according to the report. School outbreaks are based on 10 per cent absenteeism at a school because of influenza-like symptoms, it says.