HALIFAX -- New Brunswick reported one new case of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the number of active cases in the province to seven.

The new case is an individual between 30 and 39 in Zone 6 (Bathurst region). The case is related to travel from outside the Atlantic bubble and the person is self-isolating.

This is the third consecutive day that New Brunswick is reporting new cases of COVID-19. 

The province reported two new cases on Thursday, including one involving an individual between 60 and 69 from the Moncton region (zone 1), who had travelled outside of the Atlantic bubble and is now self-isolating.

The other case involves an individual between 40 and 49 from the Fredericton region (zone 3), who was staying in Ontario prior to the onset of symptoms, tested in that province and will remain there until recovered.

The province also reported a Quebec resident who works in Zone 5 (Campbellton region) of New Brunswick has tested positive and is now self-isolating and recovering in Quebec. The case is not considered to be a New Brunswick case. Contact tracing is underway to identify any New Brunswickers who may have come into contact with the individual and will need to self-monitor or be tested.

On Wednesday, the province reported a new COVID-19 case involving an individual between age 60 and 69 in Zone 7 (the Miramichi region). That case was related to travel outside the Atlantic bubble, and the individual is self-isolating.

There are now 200 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick, but 191 people have recovered, and two people have died, leaving seven active cases, though one of the cases is currently staying in Ontario while they recover.

To date, a total of 72,981 tests have been conducted in the province.

There is currently no one in hospital as a result of COVID-19.

POTENTIAL FLIGHT EXPOSURE

New Brunswick public health has also issued a potential exposure warning for travellers who took an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Moncton on Sept. 17. 

One of the cases identified Thursday involved an international traveller who might have been infectious on Air Canada Flight 8918.

Individuals who were on that flight are asked to self-monitor for 14 days after the flight for symptoms. If symptoms develop, they are asked to self-isolate and call 811.

COVID-19 CASES IN NEW BRUNSWICK

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases are broken down by New Brunswick’s seven health zones:

  • Zone 1 – Moncton region: 46 confirmed cases (4 active cases)
  • Zone 2 – Saint John region: 28 confirmed cases
  • Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 58 confirmed cases (1 active case, though the person is staying in Ontario until they recover.)
  • Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 8 confirmed cases
  • Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 53 confirmed cases
  • Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 3 confirmed cases (1 active case)
  • Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 3 confirmed cases (1 active case)

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

STATE OF EMERGENCY ORDER REVISED

New Brunswick has also revised the province's State of Emergency mandatory order, reimposing travel restrictions on residents of Quebec's southern Gaspe area, which has seen its COVID-19 alert level rise.

Premier Blaine Higgs said Thursday only residents of the Listuguj First Nation and Pointe-a-la-Croix, near Campbellton, N.B., will be allowed to make day trips into New Brunswick. The new rule enters into effect Friday.

The move follows last week's decision to reimpose travel restrictions on residents of Quebec's Temiscouata region, which is close to Edmundston, N.B. Residents of southern Gaspe and of Temiscouata are still permitted to make day trips into New Brunswick for essential reasons such as medical appointments, approved work and child custody arrangements.

On Aug. 1, New Brunswick's government had opened its so-called travel bubble, permitting day trips for residents of three border regions in Quebec: the southern Gaspe area, the Temiscouata region, and the Listuguj First Nation.

But following a rise in COVID-19 infections across the Quebec, Higgs began tightening his province's borders once again. On Thursday, Quebec authorities announced the southern Gaspe was moving into the yellow, "pre-alert" stage of the government's COVID-19 alert system.

Aside from residents of Pointe-a-la-Croix and the Listuguj First Nation, anyone from Quebec -- and from outside Atlantic Canada -- who enters New Brunswick for non-essential travel will need to isolate for 14 days.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health, said, "Public Health will continue to closely monitor the situation for any changes. We are continuing to ask everyone to take very simple steps to reduce the spread of the disease."

VEHICLE TRAFFIC INFORMATION

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

On Thursday, 12,213 personal and 4,335 commercial vehicles attempted to cross the border into the province.

Of the vehicles attempting to cross the border, 49 were refused entry, for a refusal rate of 0.3 per cent.