Person in 30s dies from COVID-19 in New Brunswick

A person in their thirties has died from COVID-19 in New Brunswick, bringing the total number of deaths in the province to 31.

Public Health confirms the person was from the Edmundston region.

The province had first stated the death was as a result of underlying complications, including COVID-19. It now says the death was only a result of the virus.

“It’s really serious,” says Eric Marquis, Edmundston’s acting mayor.

“We still have a lot of people in the ICU We still have some young people in the ICU that are fighting for their lives right now. Unfortunately, COVID took one life. So, it is very unfortunate for us and also very unfortunate for the family.”

With 131 cases right now, the region accounts for about 80 per cent of the province’s total active cases.

The province has not identified the patient who died, but on social media, the community in Edmundston is mourning the loss of a local man, who is being remembered for being a loving husband and father.

“I offer my heartfelt sympathy to the loved ones of this person,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, in a statement.

“This death is a sad reminder that COVID-19 does not discriminate, and that we must all continue to do everything we can to keep one another safe.”

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Meanwhile, the province is recording 14 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, 11 of which are in the Edmundston area.

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The province notes seven of the cases are related to an outbreak at the Foyer St-Jacques, a special care home in Edmundston. The outbreak was declared this past Saturday, and members of the Provincial Rapid Outbreak Management Team are at the home providing support for residents and facility employees.

The health zone is currently in the red level, and has been dealing with an outbreak involving a variant of concern.  As of Wednesday morning, 13 patients are hospitalized at the Edmundston Regional Hospital, eight of whom are in the ICU on respirators.

“The data presented in this report is evolving rapidly,” said a statement from Vitalité Health Network.

In nearby Grand Falls, the mayor says his community is feeling the impacts too.

“If one community in the zone is affected, the entire zone is affected … morally, or we want to help as much as we can,” Marcel Deschênes told Global News.

“But at the end of the day, we just hope that the vaccine can do what it can do fast.”

Breakdown of new cases

The remaining new cases are in Zone 1 (Moncton region) and Zone 3 (Fredericton region).

The cases are as follows:

Zone 1 (Moncton region)

• an individual 20-29
• an individual 40-49

One case is travel-related and the other one is under investigation.

Zone 3 (Fredericton region)

• an individual 70-79. This case is travel related.

Zone 4 (Edmundston region)

• an individual 19 and under
• two people 20-29
• two people 30-39
• three people 50-59
• an individual 60-69
• an individual 70-79
• an individual 80-89

Exposure notification in Saint John

As well, Public Health is advising of a potential public exposure to COVID-19 at the YMCA of Greater Saint John at 191Churchill Blvd.

The exposure was on April 1, between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

1:59 Edmundston region at critical stage in COVID-19 fight

— With files from Callum Smuth