HALIFAX -- Health officials in New Brunswick have announced 19 new COVID-19 cases Thursday.

Eleven new cases are in the Edmundston region (Zone 4), including nine confirmed cases at Pavillion Beau-Lieu, a special care home in Grand Falls, N.B.

"In the Grand Falls situation, while there are apparently many affected, the effects have been greatly reduced," said Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health, during Thursday's news update. "The virus can still be transmitted, but this shows that vaccination is working... about 40 per cent of the population is vaccinated in that area."

The 11 new Edmundston cases are all contacts of previously confirmed cases and involve:

  • an individual 19 and under;
  • an individual 40-49;
  • an individual 70-79;
  • six people 80-89; and
  • two people 90 and over.

Two new cases are located in the Moncton region (Zone 1), involving an individual in their 30s, and an individual in their 60s. Both cases are related to travel, including one temporary foreign worker.

Three new cases are located in the Saint John region (Zone 2), involving two individuals in their 20s, and one individual in their 30s. All three cases are related to travel outside of New Brunswick.

Two new cases are located the Fredericton region (Zone 3), involving two individuals in their 30s. One of the cases is travel related and the other is under investigation.

One new case is located in the Bathurst region (Zone 6), involving an individual in their 50s, and is travel related.

Since Wednesday, 11 previously reported cases are now considered recovered, as the active number of cases in the province increases to 146.

PREMIER EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF OBEYING RULES, GETTING VACCINATED

During New Brunswick's COVID-19 update on Thursday, Premier Blaine Higgs emphasized the importance of residents obeying rules and gettting vaccinated as soon as they become eligible.

“Most residents have been doing their part and following the rules, but I have been disappointed by a few reports of people blatantly violating regulations by failing to wear a mask, participating in large gatherings, and failing to self-isolate properly when required,” said New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs during Thursday’s update. “We are more than a year into the pandemic, and there is no excuse for this behaviour, especially when we are so close to the finish line. These actions are dangerous and put others at risk.”

According to Higgs, 94 per cent of residents in the province's long-term care homes have received their first dose of vaccine as of April 22. However, Higgs says only 47 per cent of staff in the homes have been vaccinated, and he would like to see that number higher.

“By standing our ground for just a few more weeks… we are probably 10 weeks away from having everyone receive their first dose… we will get through this,” added Russell. “So please take care of yourselves, look after your community, and the only way we will get through this and continue to do so, is by doing it together.” 

OUTBREAK AT EDMUNDSTON CARE HOME DECLARED OVER

Public Health has declared the COVID-19 outbreak is officially over at Résidence Rolande Long, a special care home in Edmundston, in Zone 4.

An outbreak was declared on April 3, following a confirmed COVID-19 case at the facility. Staff and residents of the facility were re-tested several times to confirm the end of the outbreak.

N.B. COVID-19 CASE DATA

New Brunswick has had 1,823 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

In total, 1,642 people have recovered, and 34 people have died in the province from COVID-19-related causes.

Fifteen people are currently in New Brunswick hospitals with COVID-19, with five in intensive care units.

Public health says 1,299 tests were completed on Wednesday in New Brunswick, and 280,010 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: 383 confirmed cases (17 active cases)
  • Zone 2 – Saint John region: 253 confirmed cases (12 active cases)
  • Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 258 confirmed cases (11 active cases)
  • Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 688 confirmed cases (102 active cases)
  • Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 182 confirmed cases (0 active cases)
  • Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 32 confirmed cases (3 active cases)
  • Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 27 confirmed cases (1 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 Thursday, 218,939 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in New Brunswick. Approximately 29.8 per cent of the province's population eligible for the vaccine has received at least one dose.

REMINDER OF LOCKDOWN, ORANGE AND YELLOW LEVELS

A section of Zone 4, including Edmundston and the upper Madawaska region, remains in lockdown.

“We recognize that Zone 4 has been making progress, and cases are slowly decreasing, but we need to wait a few more days to ensure this trend continues,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell. “There are still untraced cases in the Edmundston region that pose a risk, so for now the areas that are in lockdown and at the Orange level will remain there. Public Health will continue to assess the situation to determine when it is safe to make changes to alert levels.”

The communities of Saint-Léonard, Grand Falls, Drummond, New Denmark and Four Falls are in the Orange level.

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

This is a developing story, more to come.