Public Health is reporting 15 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, and another death.
Eleven of the new cases are in the Saint John region (Zone 2), three are in the Moncton region (Zone 1) and one in the Fredericton region (Zone 3), Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health, said at a news conference.
All 15 of the cases have been “identified and are isolating,” Russell said.
Seven people in New Brunswick have now died of the disease since the pandemic started. Russell did not say where the latest death occurred.
She urged residents to “please, wear a mask” and keep their close contacts low.
“We must all remain vigilant, there has never been a time when the risk was zero,” she said.
Enforcement of rules, and frustration with non-compliance
Premier Blaine Higgs said Monday that police and peace offers were enforcing compliance with the single-household bubble, mask-wearing, physical distancing and other rules in the orange zones on the weekend.
Thirty tickets were issued, he said, and at least one business in southeastern New Brunswick has been shut down after not following guidelines “for some time.”
Higgs also singled out for criticism those who are deliberately ignoring the rules.
“It is disappointing to hear that some people have not been giving their real names and contact information” when at businesses, he said.
“You’re not ‘beating the system,’ ” he later added. “You’re jeopardizing the health and welfare of maybe your neighbour, maybe your grandparents, maybe your parents.”
Atlantic bubble bursts
The Atlantic bubble has come to an end for now.
Both Newfoundland and Labrador and P.E.I announced Monday that they were leaving the bubble for at least two weeks as COVID-19 cases rise in parts of the region.
New Brunswick isn’t following suit, although Premier Blaine Higgs is asking people to be cautious about travel outside the province.
Higgs said during Monday’s news conference that he spoke with the P,E.I and Newfoundland and Labrador premiers Sunday night and the decision to leave the bubble was a “shared decision.” He expects it will be “a two-week closure.”
New Brunswick tightened restrictions in Moncton and Saint John last week as cases rose, and the province reported its highest ever single-day case count on Saturday with 23 new cases. As of Sunday, the province had a total of 77 active cases.
Employee tests positive at Stan Cassidy Centre
Horizon Health Network and New Brunswick Public Health are investigating a potential COVID-19 exposure at Horizon’s Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation in Fredericton.
As this is a high-risk situation, Horizon is declaring an outbreak at the Centre.
As of Monday morning, Horizon is restricting all visitors at the Centre and cancelling scheduled appointments until further notice after an employee tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.
The employee is self-isolating, Horizon said in a statement.
Patients who were in contact with the employee when the employee may have been infectious had rapid testing for the respiratory virus Sunday.
Horizon said all affected patients have been isolated. And all staff who were in contact have had COVID-19 testing.
“As a precautionary measure, all other employees at the Centre will be tested for COVID-19.”
Effective Monday morning, all staff and physicians at the Centre will participate in active screening for COVID-19 symptoms.
Horizon Health said affected patients and families have also been notified.
Employee and 3 residents test positive for COVID-19 at Shannex
A Shannex official says the Parkland Saint John facility has activated its pandemic plan after one employee and three residents tested positive for COVID-19.
Clinical practice director and infection control specialist Lisa Snodgrass says all 371 residents and employees were tested.
And she’s been told those four were the only positive cases.
“We’re not sure how it got in,” she said. “But we are sure of what we can do to help prevent the spread and that’s what we’re focusing on right now.
Public health says the outbreak is at Tucker Hall.
Snodgrass says that’s a 90-bed licensed long-term care home on the Parkland Saint John campus.
Snodgrass said all residents are self-isolating as well as some employees – she declined to say how many.
Residents can normally move freely between the buildings, but under pandemic restrictions, she says most of the movement is limited to health care team members.
She says the investigation into cause of the outbreak is ongoing.
What to do if you have a symptom
People concerned they might have COVID-19 symptoms can take a self-assessment test online.
Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included:
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A fever above 38 C.
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A new cough or worsening chronic cough.
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Sore throat.
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Runny nose.
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Headache.
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New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell.
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Difficulty breathing.
In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes.
People with one of those symptoms should:
