N.B. reports 6 COVID-19 deaths; booster appointments available for kids 5 and up

COVID-19 has claimed the lives of six more people in New Brunswick, according to data released by the province Wednesday.

The province is also reporting an increase in new COVID-19 hospitalizations and a drop in cases.

The data in Wednesday’s report covers from Aug. 28 to Sept. 3.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 472 people in New Brunswick have died of the virus.

HOSPITALIZATIONS

The number of new COVID-19 hospital admissions increased from 31 last week to 35 this week.

As of Saturday, there were 37 people with COVID-19 in New Brunswick hospitals, compared to 33people the week before. Two people were being treated in the intensive care unit.

The majority of people hospitalizedwith the disease in New Brunswick are in their 70s and 80s

NEW CASES

The number of PCR-confirmed cases of COVID-19 fell from 712 last week to 589 this week. As of Saturday, there were 867 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

There was an average of 85 new cases of COVID-19 per day in New Brunswick from Aug. 28 to Sept. 3, down from 102 the week before.

The regional breakdown of Tuesday’s cases is as follows:

• 
  Zone 1: 200


• 
  Zone 2:  69


• 
  Zone 3:  146


• 
  Zone 4:  36


• 
  Zone 5:  21


• 
  Zone 6: 82


• 
  Zone 7: 35

Health officials in New Brunswick have provided a recent random sample that was sequenced to better understand which COVID-19 variants are currently in the province.

• 
  0 per cent of samples are BA.1.


• 
  1 per cent of samples are BA.2.


• 
  0 per cent of samples are BA.3.


• 
  10 per cent of samples are BA.4.


• 
  89 per cent of samples are BA.5

KIDS ELIGIBLE FOR BOOSTER DOSE

New Brunswick residents between the ages of five and 11 are now eligible to receive their first booster dose.

Children are eligible for a booster dose as long as five months have passed since their previous dose, or the date of a COVID-19 infection -- whichever is more recent.

“Vaccines have been proven to provide protection against serious illnesses or hospitalization from COVID-19,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health. “I urge all those who are eligible to be vaccinated to book an appointment online, and those under the age of 16 to have a parent or guardian book an appointment.”

Appointments can be booked online or by calling 1-833-437-1424.

VACCINATION

As of Saturday, 90.4 per cent of people in New Brunswick had one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 85.3 per cent had two doses and 53.5 per cent had a booster dose.

“Individuals that are unprotected by vaccine continue to have the highest rate ofhospitalization for COVID-19 and ICU admissions,” the province wrote in its weekly update.

This week’s full COVID-19 report is available online.