Flu kills 12 more in NB, death toll rises to 59

Twelve more New Brunswickers died of the flu in the first week of January, bringing the death toll so far this season to 59, according to the latest flu report.

Last season, five people died.

Thirty people were hospitalized between January 1 and January 7.

This brings the total number of hospitalizations to 851 since the start of the season on August 28, compared to the 2021-22 seasonal total of 92.

No details about New Brunswickers who died or were hospitalized, such as their age or any underlying health conditions, are provided in the online report.

CBC has asked the Department of Health if any of the latest deaths and hospitalizations have been infants, children or young people and is awaiting a response.

Activity continues to decline

A total of 108 new cases of influenza have been laboratory confirmed – nine influenza A(H3) viruses and 99 influenza A (unsubtyped) viruses, according to the report.

The actual number of flu cases in New Brunswick is likely much higher since most people do not get tested for the flu. They just stay home.

Still, “influenza activity continued to decline” during the week in question, the report said.

Activity has now fallen to “sporadic” – the second lowest of four levels – in all but one health region. The Moncton area, Zone 1, is still listed as having “localized activity”.

Localized activity is defined as “evidence of increased [influenza-like illness] with laboratory-confirmed influenza detections and outbreaks in schools, hospitals, residential facilities and/or other types of establishments occurring in less than 50% of the influenza surveillance region. »

Sporadic activity is defined as influenza-like illnesses occurring sporadically and laboratory-confirmed cases with no outbreaks detected in the area.

The regional breakdown of the 108 confirmed cases is:

• Moncton area, zone 1 — 25.
• Saint John area, Zone 2 — 15.
• Fredericton area, zone 3 — nine.
• Edmundston region, Zone 4 — 19.
• Campbellton area, zone 5 to 10.
• Bathurst area, Zone 6 — 25.
• Miramichi area, zone 7 — five.

Since the start of the season, 4,253 cases of influenza have been laboratory confirmed.

No outbreak

No new laboratory-confirmed flu outbreaks were reported in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities, up from eight in the previous two weeks, the report said.

No new outbreaks of ILI in schools were reported either, although schools were closed during the holidays. Five school-based outbreaks have been reported in the previous two weeks.

So far this season, 35 flu outbreaks have been reported in nursing homes and similar facilities, and 211 flu-like illness outbreaks have been reported in schools.