N.B. reports 11 new COVID-19 deaths, slight increase in hospital admissions

New Brunswick is reporting 11 new COVID-19-related deaths in its latest reporting period.

The data in Tuesday’s report covers between Jan. 15 and Jan. 21.

Since the start of the pandemic, New Brunswick has reported 773 deaths related to the virus.

HOSPITALIZATIONS

The province is reporting a slight increase in hospitalizations, with 17 new hospital admissions this week, compared to 14 the week before.

As of Saturday, four people had been admitted into intensive care.

The province's report says, since Aug. 28, the rate of hospitalizations is highest among people aged 70 years and older.

NEW CASES

Over the last two weeks, the province says the percent positivity in new cases has decreased.

Health officials are reporting 321 new cases during the seven-day period, compared to 433 in the province's last report.

According to the data, 3,524 tests were completed during the current reporting period.

The regional breakdown of newly recorded COVID-19 cases is as follows:

SELF-REPORTED RAPID TESTS

New Brunswick provides the number of positive self-reported rapid tests in each reporting period.

Between Jan. 15 and Jan. 21, 161 rapid tests were reported to health officials.

The breakdown of those tests is as follows:

COVID-19 VARIANTS IN THE PROVINCE

Health officials in New Brunswick say a recent random sample sequenced between Jan. 8 and Jan. 16 shows 94 per cent of positive cases were the BA.5 variant.

Three per cent were the XBB variant, two per cent were BA.2, and one percent was the BA.4 variant.

The province says 177 specimens were used for the sample.

VACCINATIONS

As of Saturday, 90.9 per cent of people in New Brunswick had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 85.8 per cent had at least two doses, 54.6 per cent had one booster and 29.4 per cent had two boosters.

The province's full weekly report, along with previous reports, can be found online.