N.B. reports 16 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, cases in five other zones linked to Moncton cluster

HALIFAX -

New Brunswick reported 16 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, along with 11 recoveries, as the total number of active infections in the province increases to 115.

“Some of the new cases have spread from the Moncton region, or Zone 1, to five other health zones in our province,” said Dr. Cristin Muecke, deputy chief medical officer in a news release.

“We are noticing this is mainly among those who are not fully vaccinated. In fact, in the Moncton cluster, 94 per cent of our cases are among those who are not fully vaccinated. We need these people to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their families and those who cannot get vaccinated, such as children under 12.”

Eight new cases were reported in the Moncton region (Zone 1) involving:

• one individual age 19 and under
• five people in their 20s
• two people in their 70s

Three of the cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases, three are travel-related and two are under investigation.

Two cases were reported in the Saint John region (Zone 2) involving one individual in their 20s, and one individual in their 50s. One case is under investigation and the other one is travel-related.

Three cases were reported in the Fredericton region (Zone 3) involving on individual age 19 and under, and two people in their 70s. Two cases are under investigation and the other case is a contact of a previously confirmed case.

Two cases were reported in the Bathurst region (Zone 6) involving an individual age 19 and under, and an individual in their 30s. Both cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

One case was reported in the Miramichi region (Zone 7), involving an individual in their 20s, who is a contact of a previously reported case.

According to the province, 900 people are self-isolating due to either testing positive or being an identified contact of a case.

“We are seeing a COVID-19 Alpha variant cluster emerging in the Moncton region with 150 cases linked to the variant,” said Muecke. “With the recent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, it is clear that being fully vaccinated is the best protection against the virus, regardless of variant type.”    

There is currently one hospitalization in New Brunswick due to COVID-19, with no one in an intensive care unit.

VACCINE UPDATE

As of Wednesday, 71.9 per cent of New Brunswickers age 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 83.6 per cent have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In total, 1,077,871 vaccine doses have been administered in New Brunswick.

If you have not yet had your first or second dose, you are encouraged to go to a mobile or walk-in clinic or to book an appointment through a participating pharmacy or at a Vitalité or Horizon Health Network clinic.

All eligible New Brunswickers can book their second dose appointments now for a date that is at least 28 days after their first dose.

If you have an appointment for a vaccine but were able to get vaccinated sooner elsewhere, please be sure to contact your pharmacy or regional health authority clinic to cancel the appointment you no longer need. This will help ensure that someone else in your community can obtain their vaccination sooner.

COVID-19 CASE DATA

New Brunswick has had 2,559 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

In total, 2,397 people have recovered, and 46 people have died in the province from COVID-19.

Public health says 1,408 tests were completed in New Brunswick on Tuesday. A total of 395,627 tests have been processed since the start of the pandemic.

The number of cases are broken down by New Brunswick’s seven health zones:

• Zone 1 – Moncton region: 644 confirmed cases (84 active cases)
• Zone 2 – Saint John region: 314 confirmed cases (9 active cases)
• Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 465 confirmed cases (10 active cases)
• Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 755 confirmed cases (no active cases)
• Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 188 confirmed cases (2 active cases)
• Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 143 confirmed cases (5 active cases)
• Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 47 confirmed cases (5 active cases)

POTENTIAL PUBLIC EXPOSURES

Anyone with symptoms of the virus, as well as anyone who has been at the site of a possible public exposure, is urged to request a test online or call Tele-Care at 811 to get an appointment.