UPDATED: N.B. Reports 21 New COVID-19 Cases, One More Recovery

New Brunswick reported 21 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday, pushing the total number of cases to 800.

“This new wave of Covid-19 is proving to be more challenging than any we’ve experienced to date. In the first wave, we saw limited outbreaks in one or two regions at a time,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer of health.

“Now we have numerous cases reported in five of our seven health zones. No corner of the province is untouched.”

She said Monday marks the eighth straight day of double-digit increases in cases.

Seven of the new cases are in the Fredericton health region (Zone 3) while six are in the Edmundston region (Zone 4).

The Moncton (Zone 1) and Campbellton (Zone 5) each reported four new cases on Monday. No new cases were reported in the Saint John (Zone 2), Bathurst (Zone 6) or Miramichi (Zone 7) regions.

There are now 204 active cases with one person currently in the hospital, “more than we have seen at any time since the pandemic began last March,” Dr. Russell said. One more recovery has been reported since Sunday.

Dr. Russell said 1,700 New Brunswickers are currently in self-isolation after coming into contact with a confirmed case.

She said no new cases have been reported at three adult residential facilities currently experiencing outbreaks, including Shannex Parkland Saint John’s Tucker Hall nursing home and Shannex Parkland Riverview’s Canterbury Hall assisted living residence.

Residents and staff at Tucker Hall are being re-tested Monday. Those at Canterbury Hall are slated to be re-tested Tuesday. A PROMT team has also been sent to assist Tobique First Nation.

Meanwhile, Public Health said the province has received 11,175 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to date. Of those, 7,732 doses have been administered while the remaining 3,443 have been held for second doses. A total of 1,862 New Brunswickers have received both doses of the vaccine.

Dr. Russell said vaccination clinics will take place this week in Saint John, Fredericton, Edmundston and Campbellton, with the focus on priority groups.

People with questions about the vaccination program are encouraged to check out the FAQ page on the government’s coronavirus website.

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dominic Cardy announced some changes for schools affected by positive cases.

He said positive cases were reported in six early childhood centres in the last week. Woodstock High School and Townsview School in Zone 3, Académie Notre Dame, Tic Tac Toe daycare, Ecole Aux Quatre Vents, and Polyvalente Roland-Pépin in Zone 5 also reported positive cases.

Woodstock High, Townsview, Académie Notre Dame and Ecole Aux Quatre Vents students stayed home as their schools get cleaned up and prepare for online classes, Cardy said.

“Tomorrow, January 12, students at Woodstock High and Townsview School will begin learning online for the rest of this week,” he said.

Students at Ecole Aux Quatre Vents will learn online until January 25, while most Notre Dame students will be back to school tomorrow with some classes offered virtually. Grade 9, 11 and 12 students at Polyvalente Roland-Pepin have returned to school as usual today, while 10th graders will study online.

Cardy reminded families that they will be notified directly about positive cases or possible exposures in schools and daycares.

“Otherwise,” he says, “no news is good news.”

He also reminds families about resources like IT support for students who have connectivity problem – call Bell at 1-833-453-1140, and virtual counselling and wellness services that are accessible through schools.

Cardy sternly reminded defiant residents to take Public Health advice seriously by wearing a mask, maintaining physical distance, and not travelling unnecessarily.

“For those few out there refusing to take this seriously, open your eyes, turn on the news, look at the emergency rooms being overwhelmed in this continent and around the world. Imagine if it was people you cared about being in that situation,” he said.