HALIFAX -- Health officials in New Brunswick are reporting nine new cases of COVID-19 Sunday, and 11 potential public exposure sites.

One new case is in the Moncton region (Zone 1) and is a person in their 20s. Public Health says it’s linked to a previous case. Two new cases are in the Saint John region (Zone 2) and involve a person in their 40s, and one in their 50s. Both are under investigation. One new case is in the Fredericton region (Zone 3), and involves a person in their 30s. That case is travel related.

The other five new cases are in the Edmundston region (Zone 4) and are as follows:

  • A person 19 or younger
  • One in their 20s
  • One in their 30s
  • One in their 40s
  • One in their 50s

Four of the five Edmundston region cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases, and one is under investigation.

Public Health says all of the people involved in Sunday’s new cases are self-isolating as required.

"Given the current risk posed by variants of concern, it is even more important now that everyone follow public health guidelines, especially those living in areas which are in the red or lockdown level," said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health in Sunday’s media release. "We know we’re all in this together, and if people follow the guidelines, we’ll get through this."

PUBLIC EXPOSURES

Public Health says they make exposure locations public when they cannot trace who may have been exposed with absolute certainty.

Anyone who visited (or worked at) the following locations is asked to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, and seek a test if any symptoms develop up to 14 days after contact.

  • Atlantic Superstore, 89 Trinity Dr., Moncton
  • Friday, April 9 between 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.
  • GAP Factory East Point, 15 Fashion Dr., Saint John
  • Friday, April 9 between 2:10 p.m. and 2:40 p.m.
  • COSTCO Wholesale customer service, 140 Granite Dr., Moncton
  • Thursday, April 8 between 4:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
  • CF Champlain Food Court, 477 Paul St., Dieppe
  • Thursday, April 8 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
  • YMCA Vaughan Harvey, 30 War Veterans Ave., Moncton
  • Tuesday, April 6 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
  • CF Champlain Shoppers Drug Mart cosmetics section, 477 Paul St., Dieppe
  • Tuesday, April 6 between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
  • Moncton Wesleyan Church, 945 St. George Blvd., Moncton
  • Sunday, April 4 between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
  • Kelseys Original Roadhouse, 141 Trinity Dr., Moncton
  • Saturday, April 3 between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
  • CF Champlain, 477 Paul St., Dieppe
  • Thursday, April 1 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 3 between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
  • Atlantic Superstore, 577 Victoria St., Edmundston
  • Between Monday, March 29 and Friday, April 9.

A full list of known public exposure sites can be found on the CTV News website.

EDMUNDSTON IN LOCKDOWN

Most of the Edmundston region (Zone 4) went into lockdown as of 12 a.m. Sunday.

The lockdown area includes Edmundston and Madawaska, but some other communities remain at the Red level of recovery.

Red zones that are not under lockdown are Saint-Léonard, Grand Falls, Drummond, New Denmark and Four Falls.

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

ELECTIONS SUSPENDED

Around 5 p.m. Sunday, the New Brunswick government announced in a separate release elections will be suspended in lockdown areas of Zone four.

"This means that all elections, including those for municipal council, district education council and regional health authority boards in the designated area of Zone 4 that fall under the order, are temporarily suspended until such time as the lockdown is lifted," said Municipal Elector Officer Kim Poffenroth in Sunday evening’s media release.

Affected municipalities are:

  • Edmundston
  • Haut-Madawaska
  • Lac Baker
  • Rivière-Verte
  • Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska
  • Saint Léonard

"Electors in the impacted areas will not be sent their voter information cards until such time as we are advised the lockdown has been lifted and that we are able to ensure we can rebook polling locations and provide the necessary training to poll workers," Poffenroth added.

The lockdown also impacts the elections for the Francophone Northwest school sub-districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 and well as Anglophone West sub-district one.

Elections are also suspended for Vitalité Health Network subregions A3 and A4.

The province says this also means reporting of results for the rest of the province will be delayed until all electors have had a chance to cast a ballot.

In Sunday evening’s media release, the province cites the legislation An Act for Respecting Municipal General Elections in 2021 as the cause of the suspension.

N.B. COVID-19 CASE DATA

New Brunswick has had 1,722 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

In total, 1,540 people have recovered, and 33 people have died in the province from COVID-19.

Twenty people are currently in hospital with COVID-19, with 13 in intensive care units.

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

  • Zone 1 – Moncton region: 370 confirmed cases (17 active cases)
  • Zone 2 – Saint John region: 239 confirmed cases (seven active cases)
  • Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 255 confirmed cases (nine active cases)
  • Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 621 confirmed cases (115 active cases)
  • Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 182 confirmed cases (no active cases)
  • Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 29 confirmed cases (no active cases)
  • Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 26 confirmed cases (no 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 Sunday, 151,586 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in New Brunswick.

Approximately 20.5 per cent of the province's population, 135,815 New Brunswickers have received at least one dose.

The province has received a total of 211,545 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in their inventory.