New Brunswick reports 12 COVID-19 cases on Friday, updates school and child-care rules

New Brunswick reported 12 new coronavirus cases on Friday, for the second day in a row.

The new cases include three individuals in the Moncton region and seven in the Saint John region. These cases remain under investigation.

The two other new cases have been deemed travel-related and the individuals are self-isolating in Fredericton.

There are currently 114 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton regions remain under the orange phase of New Brunswick’s COVID-19 recovery.

“There should be no non-essential travel in and out of, or between orange zones,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health in a Friday news release.

“Get tested even if you have mild symptoms,” Russell said.

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Update on schools and child care

In regions under the orange phase, school staff and students of all ages need to wear a face mask at all times in school and on school buses, the province said.

“Masks may be removed when students are eating, drinking, or engaged in sports or physical education classes. In addition, students in kindergarten to Grade 8 can remove their mask if they are working silently at their desk.”

Public Health said physical education classes should focus on activities that allow maintaining a physical distance, including yoga or dancing.

Extracurricular activities will be limited to practices within one team only, the province said.

In addition, there should be no use of wind instruments in schools in orange regions.

Children under the age of five do not need to wear a face mask within their group at child care. However, children over the age of two need to wear one in common areas.

The province advises all children and staff to bring at least two clean face masks when attending a child-care facility.

“Children of any age cannot change groupings or “bubbles” while an area is in the orange level,” read the release.

Staff are instructed to screen anyone entering child-care facilities, but temperature checks are not required. Parents and guardians are not allowed to enter the facilities so pick up or drop off must be arranged outside.

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Once again, the province is reminding New Brunswickers to avoid non-essential travel within or out of the province.

On Thursday, the province said the increase in COVID-19 cases is fueled by young adults, the same as the outbreak in Halifax.

“It is vitally important that young people do three things: stop gathering in large groups, stop travelling to known hot spots in our region, and get tested as soon as symptoms emerge,” said Russell Thursday.

The province said on Friday it is important that restaurant and bar patrons remain seated at all times, except when entering and leaving the facility or using the washroom.

To date, New Brunswick has confirmed 477 COVID-19 cases and the province says 356 have recovered.

There have been seven deaths. As of Friday, 121,542 tests have been conducted.