New Brunswick reports 65 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, active cases rise to 509

HALIFAX -

Health officials in New Brunswick are reporting 65 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, along with 40 recoveries, as the number of active cases in the province rises to 509.

According to Public Health, 48 of the 65 new cases are not fully vaccinated.

There are now 24 people are in New Brunswick hospitals with the virus, including 14 in intensive-care units.

MANDATORY MASKS GO INTO EFFECT AT MIDNIGHT

After a rise in cases throughout the province, New Brunswick is reinstating several COVID-19 measures, including mandatory masks on Tuesday night.

As of 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, masks will be mandatory in all indoor public spaces in New Brunswick, including:

• public spaces where the public and employees interact, such as retail businesses, malls, service centres, places of worship, and restaurants and bars except while eating;
• organized indoor gatherings in public spaces, such as weddings and funerals;
• common areas like lobbies, elevators and hallways, and public shared spaces including those in private sector and government workspaces; and
• public transportation.

Previously existing mask policies continue to apply in public schools and early childhood learning facilities.

The province announced last week that also effective Tuesday at 11:59 p.m., people will be required to show proof of vaccination when accessing certain events, services and businesses, and anyone entering New Brunswick must preregister their travel.

“The past few weeks have been difficult for all New Brunswickers as we have seen our case numbers and hospitalizations rise quickly,” said N.B. Premier Blaine Higgs during Monday’s news update. "The return of these health and safety measures may feel like we are taking a step backwards, but we must look at our current situation and consider what will happen if we do nothing."

CASE BREAKDOWN

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

• four people in their 20s
• two people in their 30s
• three people in their 40s
• one person in their 70s
• one person in their 80s

Seven cases are under investigation and four are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Two new cases were reported in the Saint John region (Zone 2) involving one person in their 20s and one person in their 70s. One case is under investigation and the other is a contact of a previously confirmed case.

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

• three people age 19 and under
• one person in their 20s
• one person in their 30s
• six people in their 40s
• one person in their 50s
• one person in their 60s
• two people in their 80s

Thirteen cases are under investigation and two are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Twenty new cases were reported in the Edmundston region (Zone 4) involving:

• 10 people age 19 and under
• one person in their 20s
• three people in their 30s
• two people in their 40s
• three people in their 50s
• one person in their 60s

Fifteen cases are under investigation and five are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Thirteen new cases were reported in the Campbellton region (Zone 5) involving:

• seven people age 19 and under
• two people in their 20s
• three people in their 30s
• one person in their 40s

Four cases are under investigation and nine are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Two new cases were reported in the Bathurst region (Zone 6) involving one person in their 40s and one person in their 50s. Both cases are under investigation.

Two new cases were reported in the Miramichi region (Zone 7), involving two people in their 70s. Both are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

VACCINE UPDATE

As of Tuesday, 77.9 per cent of New Brunswickers age 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 86.6 per cent have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In total, 1,145,444 vaccine doses have been administered in New Brunswick.

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

COVID-19 CASE DATA

New Brunswick has had 3,501 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

In total, 2,943 people have recovered and 48 people have died in the province from COVID-19.

Public health says a total of 440,909 COVID-19 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: 938 confirmed cases (131 active cases)
• Zone 2 – Saint John region: 354 confirmed cases (17 active cases)
• Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 706 confirmed cases (160 active cases)
• Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 882 confirmed cases (75 active case)
• Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 349 confirmed cases (93 active cases)
• Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 185 confirmed cases (24 active cases)
• Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 87 confirmed cases (9 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.