NB Reports Over 2,500 New COVID-19 Cases in First 3 Days of January – New Brunswick | The Canadian News

More than 500 employees of the regional health authority in New Brunswick are in isolation due to COVID-19, as the province reported a staggering 2,548 cases and two deaths in the past three days.

In a statement, the province said the employees it isolated include 461 from Horizon Health Network and 69 from Vitalité Health Network.

“We are monitoring the healthcare system very closely,” Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said in the statement.

“As Omicron spreads through New Brunswick, the number of cases will continue to increase and affect our healthcare workforce. Regional Health Authorities, Extra Mural / Ambulance New Brunswick, and the Department of Health are on high alert and working diligently, as they have during the holidays, to ensure that critical life-saving services are available to New residents. Brunswick when necessary. “

The new cases include 797 on Saturday, 829 on Sunday and 922 on Monday, setting a new record every day.

Two people in the Fredericton region have died as a result of COVID-19. One was 60 and the other 70.

There are currently 51 people in the hospital, six more since the last report on Friday, and 17 people are in intensive care. Of those hospitalized, 33 are over 60 years old and no one under 19 is hospitalized. Twelve people are connected to a fan.

Of the new cases as of Friday, 697 are in Zone 1 (Moncton region), 1,070 are in Zone 2 (Saint John region), 299 are in Zone 3 (Fredericton region), 132 are in Zone 4 (Edmundston region), 58 are in Zone 5 (Campbellton region), 149 are in Zone 6 (Bathurst region), and 143 are in Zone 7 (Miramichi region).

With 435 recoveries, there are now an estimated 5,442 active cases.

The statement said 82.9 percent of eligible New Brunswick residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, 90.3 percent have received their first dose of a vaccine, and 21.2 percent have received a dose. reinforcement.

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He said that due to a limited supply of the Pfizer vaccine through April 2022, New Brunswick vaccination clinics will exclusively offer the Moderna vaccine to people 30 and older.

“The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that the limited supply of Pfizer be reserved for people 12 to 29 years old, as there is evidence that the risk of myocarditis / pericarditis for this age group decreases with the Pfizer vaccine,” he said. “This risk is lower in Moderna in the population over 30 years old.”

Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer for health, said in the statement that Moderna remains a safe and effective vaccine and that the spread of Omicron makes getting vaccinated even more important.

New restrictions

The province is imposing new restrictions Tuesday “to mitigate impacts on the healthcare system and other critical infrastructure in response to the highly contagious Omicron variant.”

Starting at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, Public Health will change the criteria for PCR testing. PCR tests will be reserved for:

• People in higher risk areas, including healthcare workers and those who live or work in long-term care facilities, homeless shelters, and correctional facilities.
• Symptomatic people and 50 years of age or older.
• Symptomatic and immunosuppressed people or pregnant.
• People who need a PCR test to travel.
• People identified as a priority by Public Health.

Everyone else, including those with symptoms but under the age of 50 and not living in a vulnerable environment, will be advised to have rapid site-of-care tests when they develop symptoms, the province said.

A positive rapid test will be treated as a positive result for COVID-19 and people will be asked to record their result through a new form that will be available online next week. They will also need to follow new isolation guidelines.

Vaccinated people who test positive will face an isolation period of less than five days, while unvaccinated people will face a period of 10.

When coming out of isolation, people must wear a mask continuously and avoid vulnerable environments.

Additionally, schools will transition to learning at home, beginning January 11, for at least two weeks.

The province also said it will no longer report public exhibits “as it moves away from contact tracing for the general public.”

“The Omicron variant is so contagious that New Brunswick residents must assume that it is everywhere and that they are at high risk of contracting COVID-19 at all times,” Russell said in the statement.