HALIFAX -- New Brunswick is reporting 12 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, and one new death related to the virus.

According to public health, the individual who died was in Zone 4 (Edmundston region). The person was in their 80s and had underlying complications, including COVID-19, according to the province.

"It is never easy to hear that a fellow New Brunswicker has died from COVID-19,” said Premier Blaine Higgs, in a news release on Saturday.

“Marcia and I extend our deepest sympathies to the person’s loved ones during their time of mourning. Our thoughts are also with the health care workers who are continually providing care and comfort during the pandemic. COVID-19 is a reality and given the severity of the pandemic in our province we must enhance our due diligence in following the rules to protect each other.”

“I ask all New Brunswickers to join me in extending our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the deceased,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, in a news release on Saturday.

Of Saturday’s new cases, four are in Zone 1 (Moncton region), which include:

  • an individual in their 20s
  • two people in their 30s
  • an individual in their 40s

One case is in Zone 3 (Fredericton region), and involves an individual in their 20s.

Seven of the cases are in Zone 4 (Edmundston region), which include:

  • two people in their 30s
  • four people in their 40s
  • an individual in their 50s

All cases are self-isolating and under investigation.

Since Friday, New Brunswick has had 41 previously reported cases resolve. The province currently has 283 active COVID-19 infections. In total, 928 people have recovered from the virus.

COVID-19 DATA

Saturday’s new cases increase the number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick to 1,230 since the pandemic began.

Three people are currently in hospital, with two in the intensive care unit, according to public health.

Eighteen people have died as a result of the novel coronavirus.

According to the province, 1,355 COVID-19 tests were completed on Friday - 197,390 tests have been administered in total since the pandemic began.

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

  • Zone 1 – Moncton region: 303 confirmed cases (68 active cases)
  • Zone 2 – Saint John region: 217 confirmed cases (23 active cases)
  • Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 232 confirmed cases (26 active cases)
  • Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 264 confirmed cases (153 active cases)
  • Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 182 confirmed cases (5 active cases)
  • Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 24 confirmed cases (6 active cases)
  • Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 8 confirmed cases (2 active cases)

RED AND ORANGE LEVEL RULES / LOCKDOWN

Zone 1 (Moncton region) remains at the Red level and Zone 4 (Edmundston region) remains in lockdown.

All other zones are at the Orange level.

CHANGES TO ORANGE PHASE

Residents in the Orange level will be allowed to interact with their household bubble plus 10 other people, as long as they are a ‘steady group of 10’, meaning consistent, close contacts outside of their household bubble.

Russell says public health recommended that Zone 5 (Campbellton region), Zone 6 (Bathurst region) and Zone 7 (Miramichi region) remain at the Orange level to help prevent new COVID-19 variants, such as the ones identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa, from entering New Brunswick.

“It’s like learning a whole new virus again from scratch because these are behaving in ways the COVID-19 we’ve been used to has not been behaving,” said Russell.

“I think they’re being proactive to not go all the way to yellow because even though we’re seeing our numbers trend down, that’s positive if we ease up and go back especially if we have these more contagious variants in the province," said Dr. Jeff Steeves, the president of New Brunswick Medical Society.

UPDATE ON VACCINES

According to New Brunswick's COVID-19 dashboard, the province has administered 14,257 doses of COVID-19 vaccine as of Jan. 25. Of those, 2,839 people have received their second dose.

The province has received 21,675 doses of vaccine as of Jan. 25, and are holding 7,418 in reserve for second dose and planned clinics.

VEHICLE TRAFFIC INFORMATION

New Brunswick's online dashboard includes information about vehicle traffic attempting to enter the province.

On Friday, 1,378 personal and 462 commercial vehicles attempted to cross the border into the province.

Of the vehicles attempting to cross the border, 25 were refused entry, for a refusal rate of 1.4 per cent.