N.B. records 9 more COVID-19 deaths, highest positivity rate since at least Aug. 28 – CBC
Hospital admissions because of the virus decrease, new lab-confirmed cases ‘relatively stable’
Feb 28, 2023
COVID-19 has killed another nine New Brunswickers, the province reported Tuesday, including one person under 50, the youngest age category provided.
Two of the deaths occurred earlier in February, four in January and three in December, but are being reported now due to a lag in reporting, according to the weekly COVIDWatch report.
Meanwhile, hospital admissions decreased between Feb. 19 and Feb. 25 and new lab-confirmed cases remained “relatively stable,” but the test positivity rate climbed to nearly 21 per cent — the highest it’s been since Aug. 28, which is as far back as the COVIDWatch data dates.
The test positivity rate, also expressed as percent positivity, is the percentage of the total PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab tests performed that produced a positive result. A high test positivity rate — even when the overall number of tests done is low — indicates a high level of community transmission.
The number of cases identified as being XBB.1.5, the Omicron subvariant described by the World Health Organization as “the most transmissible” subvariant yet, increased this week to 50 — a 127 per cent jump.
