About 17 percent of those hospitalized were children and young people, Dr. Yves Léser told reporters on Tuesday, a figure he described as “perhaps a little higher” than in previous years. Since the start of the 2022-23 flu season on Aug. 28, a total of 61 youth under the age of 20 have been hospitalized in New Brunswick, Léger revealed during a respiratory disease briefing. The majority of them were under 10 years old. Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which infects the lungs and respiratory tract, also continues to “circulate widely,” while the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have increased in recent weeks, Léger said. The situation has worsened since his last media briefing on Nov. 18, when he urged New Brunswickers to help reverse the “alarming” triple threat of respiratory viruses by taking protective measures such as wearing masks indoors, the limiting social contact and staying home when sick.
The “call to action” didn’t help
The simultaneous activity of these viruses puts additional pressure on strained hospitals and affects the education system and workplaces through high absenteeism rates, he said. Léger hoped that sharing his concerns last month would “be used as a call to action”. But “that concern remains today more than ever,” he said, especially with the holidays fast approaching. Léger warned that he expects to see an increase in respiratory virus activity across the province after the holidays, “unless we all adopt a lot of these [protective] strategies”.
Threefold increase in pediatric patients
As it stands, Horizon Health Network is facing the earliest and most aggressive onset of flu season it has ever seen, said vice president of clinical operations Greg Doiron. He participated in the briefing along with Sharon Smyth-Okana, vice president of clinical services for Vitalité Health Network. All Horizon hospitals are reporting occupancy rates above 95 percent, including pediatric units and intensive care units, Doiron said. Emergency departments see a large number of patients presenting with symptoms of severe respiratory illness, he said. Greg Doiron, vice president of clinical operations for Horizon, said healthcare workers are “under intense pressure and media scrutiny” right now, but they continue to provide excellent care in the face of increased, more complex patients and consistent staff shortages. (Government of New Brunswick/Zoom) “I know some of our pediatricians are reporting a threefold increase in pediatric patients presenting with upper and lower respiratory tract infections and seeing patients who are sicker than they used to be.” Doiron and Smyth-Okana both urged people to consider other resources for non-emergency medical needs, such as after-hours clinics and pharmacists, and to take steps to protect themselves and others.
He is not ready to suggest orders
CBC asked Léger why he’s not recommending the government impose some mandatory protective measures before the holidays. He said it was something Public Health was continuing to “discuss and review”. “These are measures that … take away people’s freedoms to make decisions for themselves, so they certainly aren’t taken seriously. And there are some factors that need to be weighed carefully before we make those decisions. “We don’t feel like we’re there at this point. But certainly, if we feel like we’re going to get there eventually, we’ll certainly make sure that’s communicated to New Brunswickers.”
RSV cases increased by 602%
RSV is not a notifiable disease in New Brunswick, but the number of laboratory-confirmed cases has increased by 602 percent in three weeks, according to the latest figures released by the Public Health Service of Canada. A total of 316 New Brunswickers tested positive for the virus as of Dec. 3, up from 45 as of Nov. 12. By comparison, at the same time last year, New Brunswick had 72 cases, according to the national respiratory virus report. RSV can lead to serious infection in some people, including infants, the elderly, adults with heart or lung disease, or those with weakened immune systems. Although RSV cases continue to rise, the positivity rate appears to have leveled off, “which may indicate that there is some stability,” Léger said. “Stable does not mean low,” he added.
COVID claims another 7 lives
According to Tuesday’s COVIDWatch report, COVID killed seven more New Brunswickers in the past week. Forty people are currently hospitalized with the virus, according to the province, while the two regional health authorities say 130 people have been hospitalized for either COVID-19, including six in intensive care. A total of 1,247 new cases of COVID have been reported, including 819 laboratory-confirmed cases and 428 self-reported cases by people who tested positive in a rapid test.
6 more flu deaths
The flu killed six more New Bunswickers between Nov. 27 and Dec. 3, bringing the total number of deaths so far this season to 20, the latest flu report, released Tuesday, shows. The victims ranged from their 30s to their 90s, according to the Ministry of Health. They died between Oct. 20 and Nov. 28, spokesman Adam Bowie said. No other details about the victims, such as any underlying health conditions or their vaccination status, have been released. The county’s flu deaths all last season were five. The 836 laboratory-confirmed cases reported during the week in question, referred to as week 48, are the highest ever recorded since the province began reporting flu 17 years ago, Léger told reporters. The previous record was set during the 2009-10 season, when 712 cases were confirmed, according to the department. A total of 1,811 positive cases have now been reported this season, although the true number is likely much higher because most people do not get tested for the flu. They just stay home. The 115 flu hospitalizations are nearly double the province’s previous record high of 69 in January 2019, Léger said. Most involve people age 65 and older, he said. Total hospitalizations for the season so far are 350. According to Léger, an increase in flu testing in the province this year could account for some of the increases in cases and even hospitalizations. (Ben Nelms/CBC) He noted that the province is doing “much more testing” than in previous years. “This additional testing could account for some of the increase in cases or even hospitalizations that may have been missed in previous years,” he said. “However, an increase in respiratory virus activity was expected this year, which is partly reflected through this test.” The positive test rate also continues to rise, he said, but remains below an all-time high.
Flu shots are still 10% lower than last year
As of Dec. 12, a total of 196,976 flu shots have been administered, according to the Department of Health. This is about 10% lower than the 219,475 vaccines administered during the same period last year. “It’s important to note that flu vaccinations started a week earlier last season, and some changes in the reporting process for pharmacies and primary care providers may be contributing to the delay in reporting this data,” the department’s spokesperson said in a statement. statement sent by email. . In BC, where six children died after contracting the flu this fall, the government launched a flu shot last Friday. He opened clinics across the province for all residents aged six months and over throughout the weekend. Asked why New Brunswick doesn’t offer something similar, Léger didn’t answer directly, but said the lower-than-usual vaccination rates are a concern. The flu shot can help reduce the number of flu cases – and especially the number of severe cases, Léger said, urging all New Brunswickers six months and older to roll up their sleeves. (Emily Fitzpatrick/CBC) “We want to send that message and emphasize the importance of the acquisition [the] flu vaccine,” he said, noting that there is availability of doses and clinics. “We’re trying to increase our messaging around our campaign to encourage people to do that,” he added, without elaborating. Of the vaccines given so far, about 8,164 were for children aged six months to eight years and 7,814 were for young people aged 9 to 18. A total of 83,317 shots have been given to people aged 19 to 64, and about 97,681 have been given to people aged 65 and over. The flu shot is recommended for all New Brunswickers six months of age and older, with a higher dose available for those 65 and older. The seasonal flu vaccine is available for free through various vaccination providers, including participating pharmacies and Public Health clinics.
There may be a public announcement in the future
Asked why he didn’t hold a press conference that members of the public could attend instead of a media briefing, Léger said he believes media briefings are “pretty effective” in getting information out to New Brunswickers. “But sure [it’s] something we will look into in the future,” he said. It has been months since Public Health made a public announcement. The opposition has repeatedly called for public information. Last month, Liberal health critic Rob McKee, the leader of the Official Opposition, claimed Ledger had been “silenced” by the Higgs government. On Tuesday, Léger denied that the government has any influence over the timing of his updates and whether they are available to the public. “I have always been committed to ensuring that I communicated with New Brunswickers when there were important messages to share,” he said. “I remain committed to doing that and I will continue to do that and I feel that I am competent enough to make those decisions…
