N.B. reporting 28th COVID-19-related death, case confirmed in Miramichi high school

New Brunswick is confirming the province’s 28th COVID-19-related death, while also reporting a presumptive case of the U.K. variant and a case in a high school.

The person who died was in his or her 80s and a resident of Manoir Belle Vue, an adult residential facility in Edmundston, N.B. Public Health says the person died as a result of underlying complications, including COVID-19.

The facility has been considered the centre of a recent outbreak, according to the province.

“Sharing the news of another death as a result of underlying complications including COVID-19 is not easy, nor should it be,” Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said in a news release.

“I join all New Brunswickers in sending heartfelt condolences to this person’s family and friends.”

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In total, the province is reporting four new cases Tuesday, all of which are in Zone 7 (Miramichi region).

One person is in their 20s, two people are in their 50s and one person is in their 60s.

Since Monday, three people have recovered, for a total of 1,370 recoveries.

Three patients, however, are hospitalized in intensive care.

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New Brunwick says a positive case was confirmed at Miramichi Valley High School. Anyone who is considered a close contact will be notified by Public Health for contact tracing.

The school is already closed this week for March break.

The province says a recently confirmed case of COVID-19 in Zone 7 has been identified as a presumptive case of the B.1.1.7 variant, discovered in the U.K., by the microbiology lab in Moncton. A sample will be sent to Winnipeg’s National Microbiology Labratory for confirmation.

Meanwhile, they note one case that was originally identified as the B.1.1.7 variant in Zone 4 (Edmundston region) has been found no to be. The Moncton lab asked the national lab to conduct a repeat sequencing, which showed it was COVID-19 but not the variant.