HALIFAX -- New Brunswick Public Health is reporting the province's 30th COVID-19 related death, as well as three new cases of the virus on Friday.

The latest death involved an individual in their 40s residing in the Moncton region (Zone 1), who died of underlying medical conditions including COVID-19.

All three of Friday's new cases were identified in the Moncton region (Zone 1). One of the cases involves a person in their 20s, with the case under investigation. The other two cases involve a person in their 30s and a person in their 60s, both close contacts of a previous case related to travel. Public health says all three individuals are self-isolating.

Three previously reported cases are now considered recovered, as 33 active cases remain in the province.

New Brunswick has had 1,465 cumulative confirmed cases since the pandemic began. In total, 1,401 people have recovered, and 30 people have died in the province from COVID-19.

One person is in hospital with COVID-19. No one is currently in intensive care.

Public health says 560 tests were completed on Thursday in New Brunswick, and 238,969 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: 343 confirmed cases (8 active cases)
  • Zone 2 – Saint John region: 224 confirmed cases (2 active cases)
  • Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 241 confirmed cases (3 active cases)
  • Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 422 confirmed cases (4 active cases)
  • Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 182 confirmed cases (no active cases)
  • Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 28 confirmed cases (no active cases)
  • Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 25 confirmed cases (16 active cases)

UPDATE ON VACCINES

During Friday's news update, Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick Chief Medical Officer of Health, gave an update on the province's vaccination plan.

According to the new estimates, every New Brunswicker should be able to receive their first dose of a vaccine by Canada Day of this year.

Dr. Russell attributes the change to new evidence from the National Advisory Committee supporting a delay between doses, and what she called an “ever-increasing supply of vaccines.”

Russell says by next Wednesday, she expects every New Brunswicker living in a nursing home or long term healthcare facility will have received at least one vaccine dose.

On that same day, they will move into the next phase of the vaccine rollout, with appointments becoming available at pharmacies to all New Brunswickers over 85.

“The finish line is now within sight – but we are not there yet,” said Russell during Friday's news update. “We must all continue to wear masks, and keep two meters of physical distance.”

Russell says that next phase will include rotational workers, and those who enter the province regularly such as truckers.

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

As of March 8, 38,483 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far, with 12,152 people in New Brunswick having received a second dose.

The province has received a total of 56,135 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and are holding 17,652 in reserve for second doses and planned clinics.

POTENTIAL EXPOSURE ON FLIGHT

Public Health has identified a positive case in a traveller who may have been infectious on March 8 while on the following flights:

  • Air Canada Flight 332 – from Edmonton to Montreal, departed at 11:41 a.m.
  • Air Canada Flight 8906 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 8:05 p.m.

Public Health says anyone who travelled on these flights should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days after the flight. Should any COVID-19 symptoms develop, they are directed to self-isolate and take the self-assessment online or to call 811 to get tested.

ALL ZONES YELLOW

All New Brunswick zones are in the Yellow level under the province's pandemic response plan.

Prior to the changes, which took effect Monday, 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.

VEHICLE TRAFFIC INFORMATION

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

On Thursday, 1,274 personal and 674 commercial vehicles attempted to cross the border into the province.

Of the vehicles attempting to cross the border, 10 were refused entry, for a refusal rate of 0.5 per cent.