New Brunswick has reported 16 COVID-related deaths in its latest monthly report on the virus, bringing the total to 913.

Public Health said COVID deaths remained “stable” over the past four weeks, between May 28 and June 24.

One death involves someone under the age of 50 while the remaining 15 people were aged 70 and over.

There were an average of four deaths per week over the past month, compared to 3.5 deaths per week in the previous monthly report.

There were 23 people hospitalized due to COVID over the past four weeks and three were admitted to intensive care. That compared to 39 hospitalizations and four ICU admissions during the previous four weeks.

The hospitalizations involved six people between the ages of 20 and 59 and 17 people aged 70 and over.

“COVID-19 hospitalizations showed an initial decrease followed by stabilization,” said the provincial report.

The two regional health authorities reported 24 people in the hospital as of June 24 and two in intensive care.

• Horizon Health: 20 active hospitalizations and two in intensive care
• Vitalité Health: four active hospitalizations and zero in intensive care

Unlike the provincial data, which only accounts for those who are admitted to the hospital for COVID-19, the regional health authorities also include the number of patients who are initially admitted for another reason and later test positive for the virus.

There were 211 new PCR-confirmed cases of the virus over the past four weeks for a test positivity rate of 8.5 per cent.

In addition, there were 96 positive self-reported rapid tests for a monthly total of 307 cases.

“The number of confirmed cases slightly decreased while percent positivity remained relatively stable throughout the reporting period,” said the report.

In the last monthly report, there were 294 positive PCR tests and 168 positive self-reported rapid tests, and the test positivity rate stood at 10.7 per cent.

Of the 63 PCR samples sequenced between May 31 and June 16, officials said all of them were the XBB variant.

Nearly 750 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered over the last month. That included 116 first doses, 108 second doses, 151 first booster doses, and 374 second booster doses.

A total of 85.9 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have received two doses, 54.8 per cent have received a booster shot, and 30.7 per cent have received their second booster.

The next monthly report is scheduled to be released on July 25. Weekly reports will return in late September.