FREDERICTON -- For the first time, the New Brunswick legislature will move to a hybrid-virtual sitting this week, after over a dozen MLAs were affected by a COVID-19 exposure.

Liberal MLA Isabelle Thériault says she and the others were staying – or eating – at Fredericton's Hilton Garden Inn last week while the N.B. legislature was sitting.

On Sunday evening, those MLAs received information from N.B. Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell that the location was exposed to the virus from Tuesday to Sunday of that week.

"She highly recommended that we get tested obviously, so that's what I'm going to do. I'm getting tested these afternoon and until I get my results, I'm self-isolating here with my partners and three children," Thériault said.

Only newly approved – a hybrid sitting, where at least 14 MLAs are present, and the others attend virtually, requires three days' notice to move forward.

But Progressive Conservative government house leader Glen Savoie says the move to a hybrid sitting was triggered Friday, after the list of over 25 Fredericton exposure sites were released.

"We're evolving as an assembly when it requires," he said.

Savoie noted 'things are fluid' but that the assembly hasn't missed any sitting days during the pandemic.  

 

10 MORE CASES LINKED TO HOTEL CLUSTER

 

New Brunswick public health also confirmed Monday that ten more cases have been linked to a different hotel in Fredericton. The Delta Fredericton had been designated as an isolation hotel by the province last month.

On Friday, a spokesperson said five direct cases had been connected to the hotel – and ten other cases were close contacts.

Today, they confirmed ten additional cases – for a total of 25. All were previously reported over the last week.

Not calling it an outbreak, a risk management team has been sent to the hotel to help with the cluster.  

Over the weekend, officials met to discuss isolation hotels in the province. Department of Health spokesperson Bruce MacFarlane said three designated hotels in Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton have now been established.

"These hotels will specifically be for isolating travelers only. No other guests will be allowed to stay at these three specific hotels," he said.

NEW BRUNSWICK REPORTS 11 NEW CASES MONDAY

New Brunswick Public Health reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, including one travel-related case of a New Brunswicker who is self-isolating outside the province.

There are five cases in Zone 3 (Fredericton region) and three cases in Zone 2 (Saint John region). All of the cases in Zone 3 are contacts of previously confirmed cases, as are two of the Zone 2 cases. The third one is a travel-related case.

There are two new cases in Zone 4 (Edmundston region) involving people in their 50s and both of these cases are under investigation.

Lastly, there is one new case in Zone 6 (Bathurst region) involving a person in their 30s; this is the travel-related case involving an individual who is out of province.

There have been eight recoveries since Sunday, so the number of active cases increases slightly to 118.

There have been 2,073 cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick since the pandemic began and 41 deaths.

Ten people are in hospital with six of them hospitalized in New Brunswick, including two in an intensive care unit. Four people are hospitalized out of province, with one in an intensive care unit.

On Sunday, public health staff conducted 1,126 tests, raising the total to 315,114.

NEW BRUNSWICK REVISES CASE COUNT

New Brunswick Public Health said in a news release on Monday that is revising the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province.

"A previously reported case in Zone 6 (Bathurst region) had been accounted for in another province," the province wrote. "Due to confidentiality provisions, the province where the case was previously recorded cannot be identified."

ANOTHER CASE AT LEO HAYES HIGH SCHOOL

Another case of COVID-19 was confirmed at Leo Hayes High School in Fredericton on Sunday and the school community has been notified.

"No in-school transmission has been determined in connection with these cases," public health wrote in a news release.

There were no classes scheduled for Monday and students will begin distance learning on Tuesday.

EXPOSURE NOTIFICATIONS

Public Health has identified a potential public exposure to the virus at the following locations and dates in Fredericton:

  • Montana’s, 6 Trinity Ave.,
  • Sunday, May 2, between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
     
  • Wolastoq Wharf, 527 Union St.,
  • Sunday, May 9, between noon and 2:30 p.m.
     
  • McDonald’s Restaurant, 1177 Prospect St.,
  • Friday, May 14, between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.

Public Health has identified a potential public exposure to the virus at the following location and date in Harvey:

  • Kubbyhole Craft Shop, 1879 Route 3,
  • Friday, May 7, between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Public Health has identified a potential public exposure to the virus at the following location and date in Nackawic:

  • Cal’s Independent Grocer, 135 Otis Dr.,
  • Friday, May 14, between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Public Health has identified a potential public exposure to the virus at the following location and date in Edmundston:

  • Jean Coutu, 177 Victoria St.,
  • Saturday, May 15, between noon and 1 p.m.

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

  • Air Canada Flight 314– from Vancouver to Montreal, departed at 11:24 p.m. on May 11.
  • Air Canada Flight 8902– from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 1:06 p.m. on May 12.