Eight additional deaths are attributable to COVID-19 in the province. That’s according to the latest provincial virus surveillance report.
These deaths, however, have occurred earlier in recent weeks – even months – and have only just been added to the death toll which now stands at 781 in the province since the start of the pandemic. There have been no virus-related deaths since mid-January.
Published Tuesday, the Public Health report shows a decline in the number of cases of infections in the province. There are indeed 263 new people infected, 58 less than on January 24.
These cases were confirmed through PCR testing. In the past seven days, 2,188 such tests have been carried out, 1,336 fewer than last week. This is also the lowest number since August 28. The samples taken also reveal that the predominant strain of the virus in the province is by far the BA.5 with 87%.
In terms of vaccination, 65 people received their very first COVID-19 vaccine between January 21 and 28, with the provincial percentage being 90.9%. Sixty-two received their second dose, 126 their first booster dose and 601 a second booster dose. As a result, 29.6% of the population of the province is doubly vaccinated with, in addition, two booster doses.
In the networks
The province’s two health networks also released their weekly report on the same day.
At the Vitalité Health Network, it is indicated that six patients are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and that three of them are in the Intensive Care Unit due to the virus, more precisely two at the CHU Dr. Georges-L. -Dumont and one at the Edmundston Regional Hospital.
This is a decrease in hospitalizations with COVID-19 compared to last week when there were 15 in this network.
On the Horizon Network side, there has been a drop in the rate of hospitalizations over the past week (January 21 to 28). The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 has increased from 79 to 57. Of this number, six are currently in intensive care.
In terms of caregivers, the Horizon Health Network reports 42 absences related to the virus. For its part, Vitalité declares 21, which makes a total of 63 employees for the two networks combined.
Occupation difficile
The situation also remains tense in terms of the bed occupancy rate, although this is not due solely to the COVID-19 virus. The network has an average rate of 104%.
All the hospitals in the network – apart from Edmundston – have an occupancy rate of 100% or more. Secondary hospitals are particularly affected with 130% occupancy at Stella-Maris-de-Kent, 125% at Enfant-Jésus RHSJ+ in Caraquet and 117% at Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Joseph in Saint-Quentin. Regional hospitals are still overflowing. We thus find rates of 110% at the Chaleur Regional Hospital, 108% at the CHU Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont and 102% at the Campbellton Regional Hospital.
