3 COVID deaths recorded as cases increase slightly, child under 4 dies from flu

Three more New Brunswickers have died from COVID-19, and one child died of influenza, according to data from the province updated Wednesday.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have slightly increased, while influenza hospitalizations remained steady in the period of March 17 to March 23, according to the provincial Respiratory Watch report.

"COVID-19 activity remains moderate; some indicators (number of cases, percent positivity, and hospitalizations) increased slightly," the report says.

The person who died of influenza was four years old or younger.

The number of COVID-19 and influenza deaths by date of death, from Aug. 27 last year to March 23 this year. (Government of New Brunswick)

All three people who died of COVID were 65 or older. Their deaths raise the province's pandemic death toll to at least 1,025. The actual total is unclear because the Department of Health counts only people who die in hospital as COVID deaths.

Twenty one people were hospitalized because of COVID or for something else and later tested positive, up from 15 in the previous report.

One person required intensive care, which unchanged from the last report.

Of those hospitalized, one was aged four or younger, one is between five and 19, and 20 are aged 65 or older, including the one in ICU.

5 outbreaks, 52 new cases

A total of five lab-confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks were declared, one down from last week. The outbreaks were all in "other facilities." The data does not define other facilities, but this means none of the outbreaks were in nursing homes.

Fifty-two cases of COVID-19 were reported, up from 40.

The positivity rate — or the percentage of lab tests performed that produced a positive result — is five per cent, up from three.

Flu sends 13 to hospital, 2 to ICU

The flu sent 14 people to hospital between March 17 and March 23, up from 13 the previous report.

One person required intensive care, down from two

Of those hospitalized, four were 19 or younger, four between the ages of 45 and 64, including one in ICU, and six were   65 or older.