COVID-19: N.B. reports 84 new cases, long-term care residents to get vaccine booster

New Brunswick reported 84 new cases of COVID-19 and said that a person 90 or over in Zone 1 (Moncton region) has died as a result of the virus.

This brings the total number of COVID-19-related deaths in the province to 57.

Positive cases have also been confirmed in schools and child-care facilities in zones 1 (Moncton region), 2 (Saint John region), 3 (Fredericton region), 4 (Edmundston region) and 5 (Campbellton region).

Public health provided a list of all the schools that have COVID-19 cases:

• Zone 1 (Moncton region) – A new positive was confirmed at École Anna-Malenfant in Dieppe, which was previously impacted. A positive case was also confirmed at Miracles At First Child Care Centre in Moncton.
• Zone 2 (Saint John region) – A positive case was confirmed at Loch Lomond School in Saint John.
• Zone 3 (Fredericton region) – A new positive case was confirmed at the following previously impacted schools: Carleton North High School in Florenceville-Bristol and Leo Hayes High School in Fredericton.
• Zone 4 (Edmundston region) – A new positive case was confirmed at the following previously impacted schools: Polyvalente Thomas-Albert in Grand Falls and École Mgr. Lang in Drummond. A new positive case was confirmed at Garderie centre éducatifs les petits pas, which was previously impacted.
• Zone 5 (Campbellton region) – A new positive was confirmed at the following previously impacted schools: Lord Beaverbrook School and École Galion des Appalaches, both located in Campbellton. A positive case was also confirmed at Garderie Dragon Day Care in Atholville.

Since Sept. 7, the province said 53 schools and 26 early learning and child-care facilities have had confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Booster dose of mRNA vaccines for seniors in long-term care

Beginning in October, New Brunswick announced that a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine will be available for seniors living in long-term care homes and other communal settings who have already received two doses of a vaccine.

“Our plan is to administer the booster dose along with our annual flu vaccine campaign,” said New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Jennifer Russell.

“New advice from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization makes it possible for us to provide both vaccines at the same time.”

According to the province, third doses of mRNA vaccines are currently available to people who are moderate to severely immunocompromised due to a medical condition or treatment.

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So far, the number of active cases in the province so far is 657. Of the new cases, 67 – or 80 per cent – are not fully vaccinated.

There are 40 people hospitalized due to the virus, with 16 in an intensive care unit. No one under the age of 19 is currently hospitalized.

Of the 71 hospitalizations between Aug. 1 and Sept. 28, 11 or 15.5 per cent were fully vaccinated, four or 5.6 per cent were partially vaccinated and 56 or 78.9 per cent were unvaccinated.

Public Health also reported today that 79.8 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 88.7 per cent have received their first dose of a vaccine.