ATLANTIC

N.B. reports 6 new COVID-19 cases, boosting active cases to 77

CTV Atlantic

Brandon Young CTVNewsAtlantic.ca writer

Published Sunday, November 22, 2020 3:22PM AST Last Updated Sunday, November 22, 2020 3:33PM AST

“Together we are working through this latest setback to our province in our fight against COVID-19. I want to thank the many health and public safety workers who are reacting quickly to gain control of the situation,” said Premier Blaine Higgs, on Sunday in a statment. “While they have been doing excellent work, in order to get us all back to the Yellow level, we need everyone to do their part in stepping up for our beautiful province by following the public health guidelines.”

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HALIFAX -- New Brunswick is reporting six new cases of COVID-19 – bringing the number of active cases to 77. Additionally, the province is warning of three possible school exposures.

On Sunday, the province announced the new cases, which include five cases in Zone 2 and one case in Zone 3.

To date, the number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 430 and 347 have recovered. There have been six deaths, and the number of active cases is 77 with one hospitalized case – 116,247 tests have been conducted.

“As a province, we need a renewed commitment to slowing the spread of COVID-19. And we need it now,” said New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Jennifer Russell on Sunday in a statement. “We need everyone in all corners of the province to reduce their close contacts to the lowest number possible and to follow public health measures.”

SIX NEW CASES

The five cases in Zone 2 (Saint John region) are as follows:

three people 19 and under
two people 20 to 29

The one case in Zone 3 (Fredericton region) is an individual in their 30s.

All cases are self-isolating and under investigation.

“Together we are working through this latest setback to our province in our fight against COVID-19. I want to thank the many health and public safety workers who are reacting quickly to gain control of the situation,” said Premier Blaine Higgs on Sunday in a statement. “While they have been doing excellent work, in order to get us all back to the Yellow level, we need everyone to do their part in stepping up for our beautiful province by following the public health guidelines.”

SCHOOL EXPOSURES

On Saturday, families of students and staff at Hampton Middle School in Hampton and Simonds High School in Saint John were notified of a positive case in each of the schools. In addition, families of students and staff at Harbour View High School in Saint John were advised of possible exposure to a COVID-19 case.

The schools will be in touch with families to communicate any potential changes regarding learning.

At this time, no student-to-student transmission has been determined in any schools.

Residents who have been in close contact with the case, or have family members who have been in close contact with the case, will be notified by Public Health for contact tracing. If residents do not hear directly from Public Health, they have not been identified as a close contact.

CASES THROUGHOUT N.B.

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

Zone 1 – Moncton region: 126 confirmed cases (32 active cases)

Zone 2 – Saint John region: 68 confirmed cases (35 active cases)

Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 82 confirmed cases (8 active cases)

Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 8 confirmed cases

Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 137 confirmed cases

Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 5 confirmed cases (2 active cases)

Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 4 confirmed cases

The province recently announced that residents can take an online self-assessment if they are experiencing mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms.

RECOVERY EFFORTS

Zone 1 (Moncton region) and Zone 2 (Saint John region) remain at the Orange level under the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan. Orange level rules are available online. Residents are reminded that among the rules for orange are to stick to your one household bubble, maintain two metres of distancing and wear a mask while in indoor and outdoor public spaces.

All other zones in New Brunswick remain at the Yellow level. During this time, Public Health measures and guidelines must still be followed.

To see the boundaries of each health zone, see New Brunswick’s COVID-19 Dashboard.

TRAVEL

Due to recent reports from Public Health in Nova Scotia that there is community transmission of COVID-19 in Halifax, New Brunswick Public Health is asking anyone travelling from the Halifax area to New Brunswick, including New Brunswickers who are visiting Halifax and returning home, to take extra precautions.

People who have recently travelled to the Halifax area are to conduct themselves like they have been in one of New Brunswick’s orange zones, even if they live in a yellow zone. This means wearing a mask in public in indoor and outdoor spaces, limiting close contacts to a one-household bubble and avoid visiting areas where there is a vulnerable population.

Two zones in New Brunswick – Zone 1 (Moncton region) and Zone 2 (Saint John region) – are currently at the Orange level. Please restrict your non-essential travel in and out of Orange zones, as well as Halifax. If you travel for essential reasons, self-monitor for symptoms and follow the Orange level guidance when you return to a Yellow zone.

Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 is asked to self-isolate immediately and get tested for the virus.

OUTBREAK AT NURSING HOME

Public Health declared an outbreak on Friday at Shannex Tucker Hall, a nursing home in Saint John, and is asking visitors to the Parkland Shannex campus between November 15 to 20, 2020 to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. All close contacts of confirmed cases will or have been contacted by Public Health.

All tests from the Parkland Shannex campus have been processed by the Dr. Georges L. Dumont Microbiology Lab. At this time there have been a total of four confirmed cases in this facility.

EXPOSURE NOTIFICATIONS

Contact tracing conducted by Public Health in the recent positive cases has determined the following possible exposures at these areas in Zone 2 on November 14, 2020:

Eighty-Three Bar Arcade, between midnight and 2 a.m. (43 Princess St., Saint John)
O’Leary’s Pub, between midnight and 2 a.m. (46 Princess St., Saint John)
Callie’s Pub, between midnight and 2 a.m. (2 Princess St., Saint John)
Let’s Hummus, between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. (44 Water St., Saint John)

For anyone present at any of these locations, Public Health guidance includes:

If you have no symptoms of COVID-19, self monitor and follow all Public Health guidelines.
If you’re experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 and do not need to talk to a nurse, complete the self assessment and get tested.
Avoid visiting settings with vulnerable populations such as nursing homes, correctional facilities, and shelters over the next 14 days.
Wash your hands frequently.

Public Health follows a standard process when addressing instances where the public may have been exposed to a case of COVID-19. In cases where record-keeping is able to identify anyone who may have been exposed, officials contact these individuals directly and do not issue a separate announcement. In cases where officials cannot be certain of exactly who may have been exposed to the virus in a given location, Public Health issues a public announcement to alert those who could have been affected and provide instructions.

COLLECTION OF CONTACT INFORMATION

Controlled venues at which seating is offered for the purposes of eating, drinking, socialization, celebration, ceremony or entertainment are required to maintain a record of the names and contact information and the time of all persons who attend.

Venues have been instructed to keep information in a secure place and not in the public view. More information can be found in Collection of names and contact information under the Mandatory Order COVID-19. A form businesses can print off to assist them can also be found there.

ENFORCEMENT

Police officers as well as peace officers and Public Health inspectors with the Department of Justice and Public Safety and inspectors with WorkSafe New Brunswick are located throughout the province to make sure the rules are being followed. They have been actively visiting businesses and public spaces throughout the province. People who refuse to comply with provisions of the mandatory order are being charged.