N.B. COVID-19 roundup: 3 more deaths, hospitals near or beyond capacity

Four hospitals in the Horizon Health Network are nearing or beyond full capacity, with COVID-19 outbreaks being reported in six hospitals.

In a status report on Tuesday, the health authority said the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton is at 101 per cent capacity. 

The Moncton Hospital is at 96 per cent capacity, and the Saint John and Miramichi regional hospitals are at 93 per cent capacity, with 100 per cent capacity reported in the Miramichi hospital's intensive care.

It reported outbreaks in multiple units at six hospitals, including:

In-person appearances before the Court of Queen's Bench in Woodstock have been temporarily relocated to meet COVID-19 physical distancing requirements.

The temporary location at 307 Connell Rd., Unit 1, allows for more physical distancing than the existing courtroom and can safely accommodate court participants whose vaccination status is unknown, the Justice and Public Safety Department said in a news release on Tuesday.

Most matters of the Court of Queen's Bench can be accommodated at the temporary location, except for jury trials. The Woodstock courthouse will continue to receive documents for filing, the department said.

It noted that the Connell Road location will be rented until distancing requirements are no longer necessary.

Another three New Brunswickers who had COVID-19 have died, bringing the province's COVID-related death toll to 215.

They include two people in the Bathurst region, Zone 6, one in their 80s and another age 90 or over, and a person in their 70s in the Miramichi region, Zone 7, Public Health said in a news release Tuesday.

There are 138 people in hospital as of Tuesday, and hospitalization numbers are climbing, although not as steeply as expected, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell said in the release.

"While hospitalizations continue to rise, they are trending below our original projections," Russell said.

She also noted that the data indicates that New Brunswickers have reduced their contacts by about 30 per cent, which she said has significantly eased the strain on the health-care system.

There are 11 people in intensive care and another 127 in hospital as of Tuesday, for a total of 138 people hospitalized with COVID-19.