New Brunswick reports 58 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend; active cases rise to 173

HALIFAX -

New Brunswick reported 58 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, along with 37 recoveries, as the total number of active infections in the province increases to 173.

The province says 85 per cent of the new cases were detected in people who are not fully vaccinated for the virus.

According to the province, there have been 340 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick since July 1. Of those, 303 or 89 per cent, were people who were not fully vaccinated.

“There are still many people in New Brunswick who need to get vaccinated as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Cristin Muecke, deputy chief medical officer of health.

“The risk is proven to be far lower when you are vaccinated. It protects you, the people you love and your community. The virus is present in all areas of the province and you may not always be aware if you have been exposed. If you have symptoms you should assume you have COVID and get tested, especially if you are not fully vaccinated.”

Thirty new cases were reported in the Moncton region (Zone 1) involving:

• 11 people aged 19 and under
• five people in their 20s
• seven people in their 30s
• one person in their 40s
• two people in their 50s
• four people in their 60s

Twenty-one cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases, two are travel-related and seven are under investigation.

Four new cases were reported in the Saint John region (Zone 2) involving:

• one person aged 19 and under
• one person in their 30s
• two people in their 40s

All four cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Sixteen new cases were reported in the Fredericton region (Zone 3) involving:

• eight people aged 19 and under
• three people in their 20s
• one person in their 30s
• two people in their 40s
• one person in their 50s;
• one person aged 90 and over

Seven of the cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases, six are travel-related and three are under investigation.

There is one case in the Edmundston region (Zone 4) involving an individual in their 40s who is a contact of a previously confirmed case.

There is one case in the Bathurst region (Zone 6) involving an individual in their 20s. That case remains under investigation.

Six new cases were reported in the Miramichi region (Zone 7) involving:

• two people aged 19 and under
• one person in their 50s
• two people in their 60s
• one person in their 80s

Four cases are contacts of a previously confirmed case, one is travel related and one is under investigation.

There are currently three patients in hospital in New Brunswick due to COVID-19, with no one in an intensive care unit.

OUTBREAK AT SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CORRECTION CENTRE

New Brunswick Public Health has declared an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Southeast Regional Correctional Centre in Shediac.

According to the province, after one positive case was confirmed on August 20, all inmates and close contact staff were tested. There are four cases now confirmed, including both inmates and staff.

The Department of Justice and Public Safety is assigning staff from other centres to the Shediac facility as needed due to the requirement for some personnel to self-isolate.

The movement of inmates within the facility is being restricted and court appearances are being held through video conferences.

VACCINE UPDATE

As of Monday, 72.7 per cent of New Brunswickers age 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 84 per cent have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In total, 1,086,655 vaccine doses have been administered in New Brunswick.

If you have not yet had your first or second dose, you are encouraged to go to a mobile or walk-in clinic or to book an appointment through a participating pharmacy or at a Vitalité or Horizon Health Network clinic.

All eligible New Brunswickers can book their second dose appointments now for a date that is at least 28 days after their first dose.

If you have an appointment for a vaccine but were able to get vaccinated sooner elsewhere, please be sure to contact your pharmacy or regional health authority clinic to cancel the appointment you no longer need. This will help ensure that someone else in your community can obtain their vaccination sooner.

COVID-19 CASE DATA

New Brunswick has had 2,672 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

In total, 2,452 people have recovered, and 46 people have died in the province from COVID-19.

Public health says 2,244 tests were completed in New Brunswick over the weekend. A total of 400,152 tests have been processed since the start of the pandemic.

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

• Zone 1 – Moncton region: 700 confirmed cases (98 active cases)
• Zone 2 – Saint John region: 329 confirmed cases (18 active cases)
• Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 491 confirmed cases (33 active cases)
• Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 757 confirmed cases (2 active case)
• Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 188 confirmed cases (no active cases)
• Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 146 confirmed cases (4 active cases)
• Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 61 confirmed cases (18 active cases)

POTENTIAL PUBLIC EXPOSURES

Anyone with symptoms of the virus, as well as anyone who has been at the site of a possible public exposure, is urged to request a test online or call Tele-Care at 811 to get an appointment.