N.B. reports 48 new COVID-19 cases Friday, active cases rise to 556

HALIFAX -

Health officials in New Brunswick are reporting 48 new COVID-19 cases and 41 recoveries on Friday, as the total number of active cases in the province rises to 556.

“We are seeing stability in cases, which is positive, and we know that if we remove measures too quickly we could see a spike in hospitalizations, which is why circuit breaker measures have been extended and expanded in the province to help further reduce the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19,” said Premier Blaine Higgs. “These measures are necessary for us to be able to keep New Brunswickers safe.”

According to health officials, 27 of Friday's 48 new cases, or 56 per cent, are unvaccinated. Twelve cases, or 25 per cent, are partially vaccinated, and nine cases, or 19 per cent, are fully vaccinated.

The province says there are currently 28 people in hospital in New Brunswick due to COVID-19, with 17 in an intensive care unit. Of those currently in hospital, 17 are unvaccinated, three are partially vaccinated, and eight are fully vaccinated.

Of the 17 people in the ICU, two are fully vaccinated, 13 are unvaccinated, and two are partially vaccinated.

CIRCUIT BREAKER EXPANDED AND EXTENDED

During Thursday’s news update, health officials announced the circuit breaker in some areas of the province will be extended for at least another seven days, and will be expanded to include certain areas of the Saint John region.

“While we are making progress, it is important that everyone continue to follow the measures in place where they live,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. “Every action you take, big and small, has an impact. I encourage you to make good choices so that your impact is a positive one.”

A 14-day circuit breaker in the Saint John area came into effect on Friday at 6 p.m. The impacted areas include New River Beach and Lepreau, north to the communities of Clarendon and Welsford, east to the community of Head of Millstream, and all communities in Saint John and Kings counties.

The circuit breaker still includes Zone 1 (Moncton region) as far north as and including Sainte-Anne-de-Kent and including Havelock in Zone 2; the northern portion of Zone 3 from and including Deerville and Florenceville-Bristol, but excluding Hayesville and Parker Ridge; and all of Zone 4 (Edmundston region).

You can find more information about the circuit breaker rules and the areas they cover, including maps, on the province’s website.

CASE DATA

New Brunswick has had 6,380 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

In total, 5,709 people have recovered and 114 people have died in the province from COVID-19.

Public health says a total of 525,445 COVID-19 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: 1,861 confirmed cases (224 active cases)
• Zone 2 – Saint John region: 670 confirmed cases (116 active cases)
• Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 1,294 confirmed cases (83 active cases)
• Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 1,424 confirmed cases (58 active cases)
• Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 674 confirmed cases (49 active cases)
• Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 290 confirmed cases (7 active cases)
• Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 167 confirmed cases (19 active cases)

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

• eight people age 19 and under
• two people in their 20s
• four people in their 30s
• one person in their 40s
• two people in their 50s

All 17 cases are under investigation.

Twenty-one new cases were reported in the Saint John region (Zone 2) involving:

• 11 people age 19 and under
• one person in their 20s
• three people in their 30s
• one person in their 40s
• three people in their 50s
• two people in their 60s

All 21 cases are under investigation.

Three new cases were reported in the Fredericton region (Zone 3) involving:

• one person in their 20s
• one person in their 30s
• one person in their 60s

All three cases are under investigation.

One new case was reported in the Edmundston region (Zone 4) involving a person in their 20s, and is under investigation.

One new case was reported in the Campbellton region (Zone 5) involving a person in their 30s, and is under investigation.

Five new cases were reported in the Miramichi region (Zone 7) involving:

• two people in their 20s
• two people in their 30s
• one person in their 40s

All five cases are under investigation.

VACCINE UPDATE

As of Friday, 84.7 per cent of New Brunswickers age 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 92.5 per cent have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In total, 1,233,706 vaccine doses have been administered in New Brunswick.

All provincial government employees, staff in long-term care facilities and staff and volunteers in schools and licensed early learning and child-care facilities must be fully vaccinated by Friday, Nov. 19.

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

POTENTIAL PUBLIC EXPOSURES

A full list of potential COVID-19 exposure notifications in New Brunswick can be found on the province's website.

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.