The province’s respiratory illness report for the month leading up to September 9th includes an increase in COVID-19, and low activity for RSV and the flu. COVID has risen from an average of 66 positive tests in the previous three weeks to 96 in the most recent surveillance week. There was one COVID-related death, which was in the week of August 13th. During this reporting month, 170 respiratory illness cases were hospitalized. Ninety-one had COVID, one had the flu, 77 had other illnesses and there was one case of co-infection.

The report states that having a COVID-19 booster in the last six months reduces the risk of death from the virus over three times compared to those who are unvaccinated and more than double those who haven’t had a booster dose. Across the province, of those five and older, 2.4 per cent have received their latest booster dose in the last six months. The Community Respiratory Illness Surveillance Program (CRISP) reports are switching from monthly to bi-weekly, with the next report to be released on September 29th