HALIFAX —
There are three new cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick, including two temporary foreign workers in the Moncton region.
“They have had minimal contact with others since arriving in New Brunswick,” Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said at a news conference in Fredericton on Monday. “The protocols that we have are working.”
Dr. Russell said that both of the workers — as is the case with all temporary foreign workers — were tested on the 10th day after arriving in New Brunswick and all of them were in self-isolation. Last week, another temporary foreign worker in the Moncton region tested positive.
“Sometimes, even if we do all the right thing, the virus finds a way,” Dr. Russell said. “It is very tenacious.”
The third case is a health-care worker at the Campbellton Regional Hospital, which makes eight health-care workers in Zone 5 who have tested positive in the latest outbreak.
“The Vitalite Health Network and their staff are redoubling their efforts to ensure all protocols are being followed as per public health guidelines and public health and control guidelines,” said Dr. Russell.
One of the temporary foreign workers is in their 20s and the other is in their 30s. The health-care worker is in their 20s.
The three new cases increase the number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick to 160. There are 29 active cases and 129 people have recovered, including nine related to the outbreak in Zone 5.
There have also been two deaths, both people in their 80s who were residents of Manoir de la Vallee in Atholville, N.B.
Four people are in hospital with one in an intensive care unit. As of Monday, New Brunswick public health staff have conducted 37,509 tests.
A new report from Angus Reid has found that many of us are feeling “fatigued” by the pandemic and less strict about following certain behaviours to stop the spread of the virus.
Dr. Russell said until a vaccine is found, caution is the best medicine to fight COVID-19.
In other developments, Premier Blaine Higgs said the government will not be moving ahead with Bill 49, which would have given police more powers to stop people and ask for identificationi as part of enforcing the emergency order that is in place because of the pandemic.
“We’ve heard the concerns from the public and the opposition parties surrounding the bill,” Higgs said. “The bill was prepared with the best of intentions, but giving those concerns we will not be proceeding with it.”
Many were concerned that the bill would have allowed unreasonable restrictions of constitutional rights.
This is a developing story. It will be updated soon.
