News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Public Health has confirmed that five people have died as a result of COVID-19. This brings the total number of COVID-19-related deaths in the province to 80.

A person 60-69 in Zone 2 (Saint John region), a person 50-59 and a person 80-89 in Zone 3 (Fredericton region), a person 80-89 in Zone 5 (Campbellton region) as well as a person 80-89 in Zone 6 (Bathurst region) have died.

“We continue to see a high number of cases in the areas where our circuit breaker restrictions are in place,” said Premier Blaine Higgs. “If you are in these areas, please follow all of the rules to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Five more lives lost to this virus is heartbreaking.”

“It is important to remember that the numbers we report every day are people,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. “The Delta variant has hit us harder than any other wave and I encourage everyone to take the steps available to protect themselves and the people they love. Follow the rules in effect where you live and get fully vaccinated as soon as possible.”

There are 68 people hospitalized due to the virus, with 27 in an intensive care unit. No one under the age of 19 is hospitalized. Of those in hospital, 44 are unvaccinated, four are partially vaccinated and 20 are fully vaccinated. Of the 27 in an intensive care unit, 21 are unvaccinated, 3 are partially vaccinated and three are fully vaccinated.

Public Health reported 82 new cases of COVID-19 today and 95 recoveries. Of the new cases, 36 – or 44 per cent – are unvaccinated, five – or six per cent – are partially vaccinated, and 41 – or 50 per cent – are fully vaccinated. The number of active cases is 1,074.

“As a higher percentage of the population gets vaccinated, and as the virus moves across the province, it is expected that we will see more cases in vaccinated people,” said Russell. “However, as a whole, there will be fewer cases among the vaccinated population in comparison to those that are unvaccinated, with fewer vaccinated people getting hospitalized and seriously ill compared to those who catch COVID-19 and are unvaccinated.”

Hospital status

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, all hospitals and health-care facilities in the province have returned to Red level protocols. Measures are in place to address the strain on health-care workers and on the system. Additional information is available on the Horizon Health Network website and the Vitalité Health Network website.

Vaccination update

Public Health reported today that 81.6 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 90.9 per cent have received their first dose of a vaccine.

If you have not yet had your first or second dose, you are asked to go to a walk-in clinic or book an appointment through a participating pharmacy or at a Vitalité or Horizon health network clinic as soon as possible.

All eligible New Brunswickers can book their second-dose appointments for a date that is at least 28 days after their first dose.

Those attending a vaccination clinic are asked to bring their Medicare card, a signed consent form and, for those receiving their second dose, a copy of the record of immunization provided after receiving their first dose.

A list of upcoming mobile and walk-in clinics is available online.

Confirmed cases in schools and child-care facilities

Positive cases have been confirmed in schools and child-care facilities in Zones 1 (Moncton region), 4 (Edmundston region), 5 (Campbellton region) and 6 (Bathurst region).

The respective school or child-care communities have been notified. If you or a family member have been in close contact with a case, you will be notified by Public Health or the school or facility for contact tracing. If you are not notified directly, you have not been identified as a close contact.

Under New Brunswick’s Healthy and Safe Schools guidelines, schools with cases will close or move to online learning for at least one calendar day to support contact tracing, risk assessments and operational responses. Districts have contacted families directly with specific information regarding any impact on learning, including information on home learning, if required.

Zone 1 (Moncton region) – A case was confirmed at École le Sommet in Moncton. A new case or cases have been confirmed in the following previously impacted schools: Beaverbrook School; École Champlain; Birchmount School; and Harrison Trimble High School, all in Moncton. A case was also confirmed at JD Tae Kwon Do in Moncton.

Zone 4 (Edmundston region) – A case was confirmed at Cité des Jeunes A.-M.-Sormany in Edmundston. A new case was confirmed at École Régionale Saint-André.

Zone 5 (Campbellton region) – A case has been confirmed at L.E. Reinsborough School in Dalhousie.

Zone 6 (Bathurst region) – A new case has been confirmed at École Le Tremplin in Tracadie.

Since Sept. 7, 98 schools and 47 early learning and child-care facilities have had confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Circuit breaker in areas with high transmission now in effect

Due to the high number of COVID-19 transmissions, a 14-day circuit breaker went into effect at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 8, for certain areas of the province.

These areas are Zone 1 (Moncton region) as far north as and including Sainte-Anne-de-Kent and including Havelock in Zone 2; the northern portion of Zone 3 from and including Deerville and Florenceville-Bristol; and all of Zone 4 (Edmundston region), including Menneval in Zone 5.

More information about the circuit breaker rules, including a detailed list and map of affected communities, is available online.

Regional breakdown of new cases

The 32 new cases in Zone 1 (Moncton region) are as follows:

• six people 19 and under;
• a person 20-29;
• three people 30-39;
• three people 40-49;
• two people 60-69;
• five people 70-79;
• six people 80-89; and
• six people 90 and over.

Twenty-nine cases are under investigation and three are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

The five new cases in Zone 2 (Saint John region) are as follows:

• a person 19 and under;
• two people 20-29;
• a person 50-59; and;
• a person 60-69.

Four cases are under investigation and the other is a contact of a previously confirmed case.

The 12 new cases in Zone 3 (Fredericton region) are as follows:

• nine people 19 and under;
• a person 30-39;
• a person 50-59; and
• a person 70-79.

Ten cases are under investigation and two are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

The nine new cases in Zone 4 (Edmundston region) are as follows:

• five people 19 and under;
• two people 30-39;
• a person 50-59; and
• a person 80-89.

Five cases are under investigation and four are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

The 18 new cases in Zone 5 (Campbellton region) are as follows:

• six people 19 and under;
• two people 20-29;
• two people 40-49;
• three people 50-59;
• a person 60-69;
• three people 70-79; and
• a person 80-89.

Nine cases are under investigation and nine are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

The four new cases in Zone 6 (Bathurst region) are as follows:

• two people 19 and under;
• a person 20-29; and
• a person 40-49.

Three cases are under investigation and one is a contact of a previously confirmed case.

The two new cases in Zone 7 (Miramichi region) are as follows:

• a person 30-39; and
• a person 50-59.

One case is a contact of a previously confirmed case and the other is under investigation.

Additional information is available on the COVID-19 dashboard.

Potential public exposures

Anyone with symptoms of the virus, as well as anyone who has been at the site of a possible public exposure, is urged to request a test online to get an appointment.

A map of potential public exposures can also be found on the COVID-19 dashboard.