Edmundston In ‘Very Critical’ Situation: Acting Mayor

The COVID-19 situation in the Edmundston region is being described as “very critical” by the city’s acting mayor.

Eric Marquis said the intensive care unit at the Edmundston Regional Hospital is full and officials may have to transfer patients elsewhere.

“We will have to see in the next couple of hours and days how things move on,” Marquis said in a phone interview Tuesday morning.

Marquis said some staff at the hospital have been working 12 to 15 hours a day, which has been “pretty tough” on them.

The Edmundston region (Zone 4) has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases over the past couple of weeks. As of Monday, 80 per cent of the province’s active cases were in Zone 4.

Marquis said this latest outbreak of the deadly virus has left residents in his community feeling extremely anxious.

“Right now, the difference we see is the presence of the variant,” he said. “The variant is very, very present all around town with all of the cases that spread pretty quickly. It’s also affecting younger people.”

Edmundston and the upper Madawaska region moved back to the red level on March 25 in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. The red level was extended to other areas of Zone 4 four days later.

Marquis said that has had a “major impact” on the local business community. For many, this is the third time they have been forced to shut down since the pandemic began, he said.

“We’re gonna have to work with the province afterwards to see how we can restart our economy,” he said, noting many businesses may have to close for good without help.

But the region has also seen lots of support over the past few weeks. Marquis said he receives messages daily from people across New Brunswick.

He also pointed to a drive-by tribute for frontline workers at the Edmundston Regional Hospital on Monday organized by local first responders.

Marquis said he is encouraging residents in his community to remain united and do their part to help stop the spread.

“We simply need to stay home, keep our social distancing, keep our masks, wash our hands, and avoid going to other places as much as possible,” he said.