A person passing through the Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport late last month has tested positive for COVID-19.
The airport announced on Facebook that the individual was a passenger on WestJet flight 3456.
Julie Pondant, a spokesperson for the airport, said the individual was travelling from Toronto and arrived in Moncton at 1:52 p.m. on April 27.
News of the passenger with COVID-19 came not long after a coronavirus briefing in Fredericton, when no new cases of the respiratory disease in New Brunswick were reported.
Pondant said she didn’t know whether the passenger was a New Brunswicker heading to somewhere in the province or someone travelling on to Prince Edward Island or Nova Scotia.
No other details about the case were available, including how many others were on the flight. Pondant said it was a Public Health matter.
“We are looking into it,” said Bruce Macfarlane, a spokesperson for the Department of Health.
Macfarlane said the airport was informed about the WestJet flight by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
“If you or anyone you have been in close contact with was on this flight, please self-isolate for 14 days,” the airport said on Facebook. “If you develop symptoms, call 811.”
There have been no cases of the novel coronavirus in New Brunswick since Saturday, and all 118 people diagnosed with the potentially deadly virus have recovered.
“We have flattened the curve in New Brunswick,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical health officer, said during Monday’s news briefing.
But Premier Blaine Higgs said New Brunswickers should expect to see more cases in the future.
“Our province continues to be surrounded by COVID-19,” he said.
Next phase of recovery to be announced this week
The start of the next phase of recovery could be announced as early as Friday and involves the reopening of businesses under strict controls.
In the week leading up to this step, the province has decided to reduce the number of times Higgs and Russell speak to the public at briefings. Briefings will now happen three times a week instead of five.
Province launches job-matching platform
JobMatchNB, a virtual job matching platform, was launched today to connect New Brunswickers with available positions. Employers can add jobs into the system and they will appear on the site within a few days.
Last week the New Brunswick government announced a ban on any new temporary foreign workers from entering the province.
With 70,000 unemployed New Brunswickers and students in the province, Higgs has said it should be possible to fill the approximately 600 farm and fish plant vacancies in agriculture and fish processing.
“We need New Brunswickers to step up for New Brunswick to fill these positions,” said Premier Blaine Higgs. “By stepping up, you will be playing an important role in helping your community, and our province’s economy.”
Province to release plan for distance learning
A plan to strengthen New Brunswick’s distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to be announced this week, New Brunswick’s education minister says.
And Dominic Cardy suggests it is designed to be used next fall if needed.
This comes after the province announced at the end of April that New Brunswick students will not be returning to the classroom until at least September.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak forced schools to close in March, students have been learning from home, with more structured lesson plans that were rolled out throughout the month of April.
However, some parents have raised concerns over a lack of technology available to students. Dominic Cardy said this will be addressed this week.
“We’re going to make sure that every single student in New Brunswick has access to the internet and to technology that will allow them to work from home and continue to continue their education from home,” said Cardy.
Cardy wouldn’t offer specifics on the new plan, but he did say that it would help students even after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
With the end of the school year approaching, Cardy said it made sense to end in-class learning early to eliminate any ambiguity for parents and students.
While the plan is to go back to schools in September, Cardy said COVID-19 likely means parents and students will have to adjust to periods of homeschooling again.
“We fully expect to go back and forth.”
At Monday’s news conference, Premier Blaine Higgs the province will be ready to resume the educational plan this fall whether the province is still in a COVID crisis or not.
“We want our kids to continue their education,” Higgs said.
What to do if you have symptoms
People concerned they might have COVID-19 can take a self-assessment on the government website. People with two of those symptoms are asked to:
