HALIFAX -- New Brunswick is reporting 10 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. Thirteen previously reported cases are now considered recovered, as the active number of cases in the province drops to 145.

Six of Monday's new cases were identified in the Edmundston region (Zone 4). They involve:

  • two people 19 and under;
  • an individual 20-29;
  • an individual 30-39;
  • an individual 50-59; and
  • an individual 60-69.

Two of the six new cases in the Edmundston region are contacts of a previously-confirmed cases and the other four are under investigation.

Four of Monday's new cases were identified in the Moncton region (Zone 1). They involve:

  • an individual 20-29;
  • an individual 30-39; and
  • two people 40-49.

One of the four new cases in the Moncton region is linked to travel and the other three are under investigation.

TWO VARIANT CASES CONFIRMED

New Brunswick health also confirmed two previously identified cases in the Saint John region (Zone 2) have been identified as the B.1.3.5.1 variant, first found in South Africa.

“Today’s news further reinforces the need for every New Brunswicker to follow public health guidelines,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. “These new variants are more contagious, so it is important that we take the necessary precautions now to reduce the transmission of the virus and any of its variants in our communities.”

According to public health, one of the variant cases is related to travel outside of Canada, and the other case is a close contact of that travel case.

N.B. COVID-19 CASE DATA

New Brunswick has had 1,732 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

In total, 1,553 people have recovered, and 33 people have died in the province from COVID-19.

Eighteen people are currently in hospital with COVID-19, with 13 in intensive care units.

Public health says 737 tests were completed on Sunday in New Brunswick, and 268,096 total since the start of the pandemic.

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

  • Zone 1 – Moncton region: 374 confirmed cases (20 active cases)
  • Zone 2 – Saint John region: 239 confirmed cases (seven active cases)
  • Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 255 confirmed cases (nine active cases)
  • Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 627 confirmed cases (109 active cases)
  • Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 182 confirmed cases (no active cases)
  • Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 29 confirmed cases (no active cases)
  • Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 26 confirmed cases (no active cases)

VACCINE UPDATE

New Brunswick's COVID-19 online dashboard provides an update on the amount of vaccines that have been administered to date.

As of Monday, 152,265 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in New Brunswick.

Approximately 20.6 per cent of the province's vaccine eligible population, 136,494 New Brunswickers, have received at least one dose.

The province has received a total of 211,545 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in their inventory.

EDMUNDSTON IN LOCKDOWN

Most of the Edmundston region (Zone 4) went into lockdown as of 12 a.m. Sunday.

The lockdown area includes Edmundston and Madawaska, but some other communities remain at the Red level of recovery.

Red zones that are not under lockdown are Saint-Léonard, Grand Falls, Drummond, New Denmark and Four Falls.

All other zones in the province, including Saint-Quentin and Kedgwick regions in Zone 4, remain in the Yellow level of recovery.

ELECTIONS SUSPENDED

Around 5 p.m. Sunday, the New Brunswick government announced in a separate release elections will be suspended in lockdown areas of Zone four.

"This means that all elections, including those for municipal council, district education council and regional health authority boards in the designated area of Zone 4 that fall under the order, are temporarily suspended until such time as the lockdown is lifted," said Municipal Elector Officer Kim Poffenroth in Sunday evening’s media release.

Affected municipalities are:

  • Edmundston
  • Haut-Madawaska
  • Lac Baker
  • Rivière-Verte
  • Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska
  • Saint Léonard

"Electors in the impacted areas will not be sent their voter information cards until such time as we are advised the lockdown has been lifted and that we are able to ensure we can rebook polling locations and provide the necessary training to poll workers," Poffenroth added.

The lockdown also impacts the elections for the Francophone Northwest school sub-districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 and well as Anglophone West sub-district one.

Elections are also suspended for Vitalité Health Network subregions A3 and A4.

The province says this also means reporting of results for the rest of the province will be delayed until all electors have had a chance to cast a ballot.

In Sunday evening’s media release, the province cites the legislation An Act for Respecting Municipal General Elections in 2021 as the cause of the suspension.