New Brunswick reports 3 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death

New Brunswick health officials reported three new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday.

One of the new cases is located in the Moncton region, and two others are in the Edmundston region.

There are 130 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Six New Brunswickers are in hospital with the virus, two of which are in intensive care.

The province also reported another death linked to COVID-19, involving a resident at Manoir Belle Vue in Edmundston. The individual was in their 80s.

There have now been 24 deaths attributed to the coronavirus since the pandemic began.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Jennifer Russell says the outbreaks in long-term care homes are heartbreaking.

“Both residents and staff are uniquely vulnerable to the virus and its effects,” she said in a Tuesday provincial briefing.

Russell also announced that the COVID-19 outbreak at Parkland Saint John, declared Nov. 21, is now officially over.

In the last two months there have been 50 confirmed cases at the facility, which included 29 residents and 21 staff.

There have been no new cases at the facility in the last 28 days, the incubation period for COVID-19, and residents and staff were re-tested after that period.

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Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said in the briefing that while single-digit numbers of new cases reported daily is an improvement, New Brunswickers must not become complacent.

“Outbreaks such as the one in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the surge in active cases we experienced in our province in the last few weeks, are a reminder that this virus will take any opportunity to spread,” Shephard said.

“We must do everything we can to not give it that opportunity.”

She said there are currently 443 New Brunswickers self-isolating across the province.

All zones remain under the orange level of COVID-19 recovery except the Edmundston region which remains in the red phase.

Russell said Tuesday that Edmunston’s status of Zone 4 will be reassessed in the coming days, with the area possibly joining the rest of the province in the orange phase.

In addition, the province said nationwide shortage of COVID-19 vaccines will impact New Brunswick’s immunization plan.

Next week, 8,190 doses of the Pzifer vaccine are expected and following that, 9,360 doses are expected weekly.

Shephard said in the briefing the plan will be reassessed and an update will be provided this week.