Health Minister Dorothy Shephard speaks at an update on the hospital system on Friday. Image: GNB/YouTube
Five more New Brunswickers have died as a result of COVID-19.
Four people in the Moncton region and one person in the Campbellton area passed away.
Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said there are 40 new cases of the virus and 67 recoveries.
“I am pleased to see that the number of recoveries is higher than the numbers of cases. This is a positive trend that will hopefully continue,” Shephard said.
There are now 731 active cases.
Shephard also provided an update on the vaccination status for government workers.
The deadline is November 19th.
If workers are unable to show proof of full vaccination, they will be sent home without pay.
Since October 5th, the government has seen an increase of six per cent in the number of vaccinated employees.
Of the province’s 59,500 employees, Shephard said nearly 52,000 are fully vaccinated.
Shephard is troubled by the 7000 or 12 per cent who are completely unvaccinated.
“We simply cannot afford to have unvaccinated people working in New Brunswick’s public service. The potential risk to coworkers. patients, students and members of the public is too high,” Shephard said.
Regional Case Breakdown:
The 25 new cases in Zone 1 (Moncton region) are as follows:
10 people 19 and under;
two people 20-29;
four people 30-39;
four people 50-59;
three people 60-69;
a person 70-79; and
a person 80-89.
Twenty-four cases are under investigation and one is a contact of a previously confirmed case.
The three new cases in Zone 2 (Saint John region) are as follows:
a person 20-29;
a person 40-49; and
a person 60-69.
All three cases are under investigation.
The five new cases in Zone 3 (Fredericton region) are as follows:
three people 19 and under;
a person 20-29; and
a person 30-39.
All five cases are under investigation.
The five new cases in Zone 4 (Edmundston region) are as follows:
a person 19 and under;
a person 30-39;
a person 50-59; and
two people 60-69.
All five cases are under investigation.
The two new cases in Zone 5 (Campbellton region) are both 19 and under. One case is under investigation and the other is a contact of a previously confirmed case.
Five deaths reported / circuit breaker reminder / update on school sports and extracurricular activities.https://t.co/nj69dYqiqj
A map of potential public exposures can also be found on our dashboard at https://t.co/oIqIZSv1av pic.twitter.com/mm3p9JBXsm
— Government of NB (@Gov_NB) October 22, 2021
Horizon Health Network Update
Horizon Health Network’s interim president and CEO, Dr. John Dornan, provided an update on the “immense” strain on their facilities.
He said occupancy rates are well over 90% – sustainably above the ideal rate – due to a rise in hospitalizations, ICU admissions and people visiting emergency departments.
To no surprise, this uptick is mostly due to the fourth wave of the pandemic. Dornan said there are currently 30 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Horizon hospitals, including 9 in an ICU.
Of those in hospital, 80% are unvaccinated, according to Dornan.
“20% that have received vaccinations are people that are otherwise ill, have concurrent diseases, chronic diseases, and you put even a small dose of COVID on top of that it can make people very ill,” Dornan said.
As a result, this rapid increase has trickled down to other areas of Horizon.
“Thus far, we have had to delay and, in some cases, cancel a total of 113 surgeries,” Dornan said.
This includes 71 surgeries in the Fredericton Upper and Upper River Valley area, 42 in the Moncton area and some in the Saint John area, although he did not specify.
An outbreak at the Moncton Hospital, in which 11 staff were diagnosed with the virus, affected the oncology and general surgeries units.
“The folks that work in our operating theatres are needed in other areas…we need them on inpatient units, on ICUs and in the emergency departments,” said Dornan.
“Before COVID, sometimes we had staff difficulties, but we were able to juggle surgeries, juggle the type of surgeries that we do, but COVID has thrown a huge wrench into that.”
Dornan confirmed Horizon will continue to operate under Red alert level for at least one week.
