Majority of COVID-19 Cases in ICU are Unvaccinated in New Brunswick

At a press conference in Fredericton on Friday, October 22, 2021, New Brunswick Minister of Health Dorothy Shephard announced that five more people in the province have died as a result of COVID-19. 

"Sadly, five more New Brunswickers have lost their lives to this virus," said Shephard. 

This brings the total number of COVID-19-related deaths in the province to 106. Four people in Zone 1 (Moncton region) – including two people 60-69, a person 70-79 and a person 80-89 – and a person 70-79 in Zone 5 (Campbellton region) have died. New Brunswick hit a new grim milestone earlier this week when the death toll to COVID-19 passed 100.

Minister Shephard also reported 40 new cases of COVID-19 in the province and 67 recoveries. There are 731 active cases. Of the new cases, 29 – or 73 per cent – are unvaccinated, two – or five per cent – are partially vaccinated, and nine – or 22 per cent – are fully vaccinated.

Dr. France Desrosiers, president and CEO of Vitalité Health Network, and Dr. John Dornan, interim president and CEO of Horizon Health Network also participated in the conference and gave a health-care system update for the province. Of the 50 people hospitalized due to the virus, 25 are unvaccinated, three are partially vaccinated and 22 are fully vaccinated. There is currently no one 19 and under in the hospital. There are 15 people in an intensive care unit, 14 of whom are unvaccinated and one who is partially vaccinated. Both CEOs reminded New Brunswickers of the importance of getting vaccinated to prevent and fight off infection from COVID-19.