“This means more opportunities for exposure to COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.”
Dr. Michèle Michaud, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, said it has noted an uptick in respiratory illness in hospitals, adding that the population has become sicker this year compared with last year without masking and public health restrictions.She said the province is seeing a rapid increase in the number of influenza infections, while at the same it is also seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, as well as some other viruses.
She said that ER visits have also jumped over the past few weeks, which has left already struggling hospitals feeling the pinch ahead of the holidays, even as they expect more residents to gather indoors.“We are seeing a higher rate of hospitalizations at the same time. We have difficulty with health-care workers that do need to isolate if they are sick.”
The Medical Society is reminding members of the public to wash their hands often, stay home if they are sick, and to cover up when they cough or sneeze. Global News reached out to the province for comment from the Department of Health and received a statement that read in part: “As Dr. Léger has noted previously, this year’s influenza season has arrived earlier, and in greater intensity, than in recent years. And, in combination with COVID-19 and RSV, we’re seeing lots of activity so far in this respiratory illness season.”