HALIFAX -- New Brunswick is reporting 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday as the active number of cases in the province rises to 116.

Of Sunday's new cases, two are in the Moncton region (Zone 1) and involve:

  • An individual in their 20s.
  • An individual in their 60s.

One case is a contact of a previously confirmed case and the other is under investigation.

One case is being reported in the Saint John region (Zone 2) involving an individual in their 40s, and is under investigation.

Four cases are being reported in the Fredericton region (Zone 3) and involve:

  • An individual 19 and under
  • An individual in their 20s.
  • An individual in their 30s.
  • An individual in their 70s.

Two of the cases in Zone 3 are close contacts of a previously reported case, one is travel related, and the other is under investigation.

Four cases are being reported in the Bathurst region (Zone 6) and involve:

  • Two people in their 20s
  • Two people in their 30s

Eight of New Brunswick’s previously reported cases are now considered recovered, as the number of active cases rises to 116.

New Brunswick also announced several potential COVID-19 exposures on Sunday. A full list of those exposures can be found on their website.

N.B. COVID-19 CASE DATA

New Brunswick has had 2,063 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

In total, 1,905 people have recovered and 41 people have died in the province from COVID-19-related causes.

There are currently eleven people hospitalized in total; seven of these patients are hospitalized in New Brunswick, including two in intensive care units. Four patients are hospitalized outside of New Brunswick.

Public health says 1,378 tests were completed on Saturday in New Brunswick, and 313,988 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: 420 confirmed cases (20 active cases).
  • Zone 2 – Saint John region: 287 confirmed cases (20 active cases).
  • Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 310 confirmed cases (36 active cases).
  • Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 748 confirmed cases (10 active cases).
  • Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 185 confirmed cases (2 active cases).
  • Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 79 confirmed cases (24 active cases).
  • Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 34 confirmed cases (4 active cases).

POTENTIAL EXPOSURE NOTIFICATION

Public Health has identified a potential public exposure to the virus at the following location and date in Fredericton:

  • Hilton Garden Inn Hotel and the Pickle Jar Restaurant, 620 Queen St., Fredericton
  • Tuesday, May 11 to Sunday, May 16.

Public Health has identified a positive case in a traveller who may have been infectious on May 7 while on the following flight:

  • Air Canada Flight 318 – from Calgary to Montreal, May 7, departing at 11 a.m.

VACCINE UPDATE

With eligibility opening up and supply continuing to grow, a big surge is being seen in the number of New Brunswickers being vaccinated.

New Brunswick health says a new single-day record for COVID-19 vaccinations was set on Friday, with 11,535 doses administered.

According to New Brunswick's COVID-19 online dashboard, as of Friday, 349,662 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the province.

Approximately 45.7 per cent of the province's population eligible for the vaccine has received at least one dose.

While the growing vaccine numbers are encouraging, there are also growing concerns about New Brunswick’s ongoing use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

While other province’s across Canada have stopped administering AstraZeneca due to reports of rare blood clots, New Brunswick continues to administer the vaccine, primarily for people over the age of 55 who are home bound.

“We’re offering second doses right now to people 55 and over who have already received the first dose of AstraZeneca,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick’s Chief Medical Officer of Health at a news update Thursday.

On Thursday, Russell said the department of health is still looking for direction on whether AstraZeneca recipients can opt to receive Moderna or Pfizer vaccines for their second shot.

“Over the course of the next two weeks, we will have information about whether we could provide an MRNA vaccine, or AstraZeneca for their second dose,” said Russell.

NEW BRUNSWICK IN YELLOW ZONE

All of New Brunswick is currently in the yellow level of restrictions under the province's mandatory order.

Although the entire province is back in the yellow alert level, Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health, says New Brunswickers must continue to do their part to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“Don’t take any chances with your health or the health of your family, friends and members of your community. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, please get tested," said Russell.