New Brunswick is reporting 26 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday as the province now has more than 300 active cases.
The increase comes just a day after health officials moved the Edmundston region into the red phase of New Brunswick’s COVID-19 recovery plan and indicated that several other regions are on the cusp of being moved into that phase as well.
“It is very clear that zones 1, 2 and 3 are on the cusp of moving to the red alert level,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell on Sunday.
Although a briefing was not held on Monday, Russell provided her assessment in a statement issued by the province this afternoon.
“We have kept the avalanche of cases out of New Brunswick so far,” she said.
“We must act now to keep this virus from doing even more damage than we are already seeing, especially with transmission now in workplaces. We cannot keep COVID-19 out completely, so we must do absolutely everything we can to prevent it from spreading within our province.”
The new year has marked a turning point for the province, which until recently had enjoyed a measure of success at beating back the novel coronavirus.
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But since Jan. 1, New Brunswick has reported 374 cases of the virus. That accounts for 38 per cent of all cases the province has reported since the pandemic began.
In a press release on Monday, Premier Blaine Higgs urged everyone to take personal responsibility to minimize any potential spread of the virus.
“The next few days are critical to determine the direction in which our province is heading,” Higgs said.
Cases spread throughout province
The 26 cases reported on Monday are spread throughout New Brunswick’s health zones.
There are seven cases in the Moncton region: three people between the ages of 30 and 39, three people between the ages of 40 and 49 and an individual between the age of 60 and 69.
New Brunswick reported nine new cases in the Saint John region: three people 19 years of age or younger, two people between the ages of 20 and 29, two people between the ages of 30 and 39 and two people between the ages of 60 and 69.
There were seven new cases in the Fredericton zone: two people 19-years-old or younger, two people between the ages of 30 and 39, two people between the ages of 40 and 49 and a single person between the ages of 60 and 69.
There were two new cases in the Edmundston region: an individual between the ages of 20 and 29 and an individual between the ages of 60 and 69.
Only one new case was reported in the Bathurst region: an individual between the ages of 50 and 59.
All cases are self-isolating and are under investigation.
Exposure notifications
New Brunswick has issued information for three potential COVID-19 exposure sites, which are used when public health are unable to identify everyone who may have been exposed to the virus.
The three new locations include:
- Moncton North After Hours Medical Clinic on Jan. 14 between 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Parts for Trucks on Jan. 11, 12 and 14 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- Jean Coutu Kim Levesque-Côté Pharmacy on Jan. 7 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Edmundston remains red
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have now been 973 cases in the province, of which 656 are considered to have recovered.
Officials have linked 12 deaths to the virus and there is currently one person in hospital as a result of COVID-19.
Edmundston is the only area in the red phase of New Brunswick’s COVID-19 recovery plan.
Every other zone remains in the orange.