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New Brunswick reports 29th COVID-19 related death; one new case Tuesday

Allan April CTVNewsAtlantic.ca writer

Published Tuesday, March 9, 2021 1:50PM AST Last Updated Tuesday, March 9, 2021 2:36PM AST

A nurse performs a test on a patient at a drive-in COVID-19 clinic in Montreal, on Wednesday, October 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

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HALIFAX -- New Brunswick Public Health identified one new case of COVID-19 on Tuesday and the province's 29th death related to the novel coronavirus.

Health officials say the person who died is an individual in their 70s and was a resident of Manoir Belle Vue, an adult residential facility in Edmundston. Their death was a result of underlying complications, including COVID-19, according to public health.

The death is the ninth from COVID-19 at the Manoir Belle Vue.

“Marcia and I were saddened to learn that another person has passed away as a result of complications, including COVID-19,” said New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs in a news release. “On behalf of all New Brunswickers, we express our sincere condolences to this individual’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

“I join everyone across the province in sharing my heartfelt sympathies with the loved ones of this person,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. “This loss is a tragic reminder that COVID-19 is still with us and that we must all continue to take precautions to slow the spread of the virus.”

In total, New Brunswick has had 29 COVID-19 related deaths.

ONE NEW CASE REPORTED

New Brunswick also reported one new case of COVID-19 on Tuesday.

Tuesday's new case was identified in the Bathurst area (Zone 6) involving a person in their 60s. Public health the case is travel related and the person is self-isolating.

One case previously reported in the Fredericton region (Zone 3) has been accounted for in another province and has been removed from New Brunswick’s case count.

The number of active cases in the province has dropped to 35.

New Brunswick has had 1,460 cumulative confirmed cases since the pandemic began. In total, 1,395 people have recovered, and 29 people have died in the province from COVID-19.

Three people are in hospital, two in the intensive care unit, with COVID-19.

Public health says 569 tests were completed on Monday in New Brunswick, and 236,792 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: 338 confirmed cases (5 active cases)
Zone 2 – Saint John region: 224 confirmed cases (2 active cases)
Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 241 confirmed cases (4 active cases)
Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 422 confirmed cases (7 active cases)
Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 182 confirmed cases (no active cases)
Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 28 confirmed cases (1 active case)
Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 25 confirmed cases (16 active cases)

ALL ZONES MOVE TO YELLOW

Public health measures meant to limit the spread of COVID-19 are loosening across New Brunswick Monday as the province shifts to the "yellow" level of its pandemic response plan.

Prior to the changes, which took effect just before midnight, the province had been in the more restrictive "orange" level following a spike in case numbers dating back to January.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Jennifer Russell issued a release on Sunday saying people must remain vigilant and follow public health advice, even at the yellow level.

“As we transition to Yellow level, we must still remain vigilant especially with the presence of variants that can be transmitted more easily. It is still important to keep your circle of close contacts relatively small and continue to follow public health advice,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health in Sunday’s media release.