New Brunswick leads country for COVID-19 death rate and cases rate, federal data shows
New Brunswick had the highest COVID-19 death rate in the country over the holidays, as well as the highest rate of COVID cases, according to the latest data from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The province's rate of COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 population between Dec. 25 and Dec. 31 was 2.2, the COVID outbreak update website shows.
Nova Scotia was the second-highest province, with a death rate of 1.3 per 100,000, while Prince Edward Island and Manitoba tied for lowest at zero.
The national average was 0.5.
Rates for the territories were not available, states the website, which was updated Monday.
New Brunswick's rate of COVID-19 cases for the week ending Dec. 31 was 124 per 100,000, according to the website.
Again, Nova Scotia ranked second, with a rate of 109 cases per 100,000, followed by P.E.I., at 95 per 100,000.
Manitoba had the lowest rate, at 10 per 100,000.
The national average, based on the provinces only, was 42.
9 deaths reported Tuesday
In its COVID-19 update Tuesday, New Brunswick reported nine more COVID deaths, but none that occurred during the week in question. Five occurred earlier in December, one in November, two in October, and one in late September, according to the COVIDWatch report.
"Deaths are subject to a lag in reporting, with an average of two months between the date of death and receiving the registration of death form at the Vital Statistics branch," the Department of Health recently announced.
2 cases of XBB.1.5 detected
On Tuesday, the department also confirmed the presence of the new Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, which the World Health Organization has described as "the most transmissible" subvariant detected to date.
Two cases of XBB.1.5, also known as Kraken, were confirmed in New Brunswick "in the past few days," Dr. Yves Léger, acting chief medical officer of health, said in a statement.
"Although research on this subvariant is still in the preliminary stages, there's no evidence yet that the XBB.1.5 variant is more severe than others," Léger said.
It does, however, appear to be able to escape immunity, experts have said.
XBB1.5 evolved through a recombination of Omicron BA.2.10.1 and Omicron BA.2.75. This happens when someone is infected by two strains at the same time, and they combine within their host during the viral replication process to form a new variant.
This latest mutation is spreading quickly in the United States and is expected to become the dominant strain. About two dozen cases have been detected in Canada, including two in Nova Scotia and one in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Reported cases, hospitalizations
There were 521 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in New Brunswick through a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab test between Jan. 1 and Jan. 7, according the COVIDWatch report. An additional 208 people self-reported testing positive on a rapid test.
Twenty-two people were newly admitted to hospital because of the virus that week, including one who required intensive care, according to the province.
Meanwhile, the Horizon and Vitalité health networks say they have 119 people currently hospitalized either for or with COVID, as of Jan. 7, including eight who require intensive care.
