Screen grab courtesy GNB on YouTube.
Public Health announced the Edmundston region would move back to the yellow phase of COVID-19 at midnight Tuesday.
The province’s chief medical officer of health says it will mark the first time all regions of the province would be in the yellow phase of pandemic recovery for the first time since March.
There were 11 new cases reported Monday, six of which were New Brunswickers self-isolating outside of the province.
The full list of Monday’s cases included each of the province’s seven health zones:
- 3 cases in Zone 1 (Moncton region)
- 1 in Zone 2 (Saint John)
- 1 in Zone 3 (Fredericton)
- 1 in Zone 4 (Edmundston)
- 1 in Zone 5 (Campbellton)
- 3 in Zone 6 (Bathurst)
- 1 in Zone 7 (Miramichi)
There are now 11 New Brunswickers in hospital battling the virus, seven of which are in the province. Three people are in an intensive care unit.
Dr. Russell said though there was good news in Edmundston Monday, there are still outbreaks all around the province including in Nova Scotia.
She says it’s important to continue to follow all Public Health guidelines until enough people have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I think most people are following all of those guidelines,” said Dr. Russell. “And I think with the variants we are seeing situations where people are doing everything right and we’re still seeing situations where transmission is happening. That’s why we have to be more vigilant about everything we’ve been doing.”
Vaccination updates
Earlier today, the province announced residents aged 40 and older would be eligible for vaccinations.
The provincial dashboard showed a drop in the percentage of New Brunswickers who have been vaccinated, as the province has now begun to count all residents aged 12 and older in its count.
40.2 per cent of those aged 12 and older have been vaccinated.
Dr. Russell says with vaccine rates trending up, we can still expect outbreaks but they should be smaller than before.
She echoed a previous goal of having most New Brunswickers fully vaccinated by September.
Graduation ceremonies
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development released its guidelines for schools that wish to hold graduation ceremonies in 2021.
The specific capacity and guidelines for each ceremony will depend on the COVID-19 operational plan for the venue.
If any of the province’s health zones are in the red or lockdown level during the graduation period, ceremonies will move online.
“While school-organized proms will not be possible this year, I am confident that schools and school districts will be creative in their planning, just as we saw so many rise to the occasion last year,” said Education Minister Dominic Cardy.
Confirmed cases at Zone 2 schools
Several schools in the Saint John health zone reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the weekend.
Kennebecasis Valley High School, Dr. A.T. Leatherbarrow Primary School, and Go-Go After School, an after school program connected to Hampton Elementary School, each reported a case recently.
The majority of KVHS students will be able to return to school as scheduled Tuesday, after a pre-planned day off Monday.
Students, staff, and the families of those attending Dr. A.T. Leatherbarrow and Go-Go After School were directed to self-isolate until 11:59 p.m. Monday.
Both of the Hampton area facilities were closed Monday, and are scheduled to re-open Tuesday.
Public Health says it will contact anyone who is a close contact of the cases.
Public exposures
Public Health also announced several new potential exposures to the virus Monday.
An exposure on a pair of Air Canada flights, including flight 396 between Edmonton and Toronto, and flight 8898 from Toronto to Moncton, was identified on May 6.
Meanwhile, the following exposures were discovered in Zone 1:
- Pumphouse in Moncton on Tuesday, May 4 between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
- Staples on Main Street in Moncton on Wednesday, May 5, between noon and 8 p.m.
- Walmart Supercentre on Paul Street in Dieppe on Thursday, May 6, between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
- Greco Pizza on Acadie Boulevard in Dieppe on Friday, May 7, between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m.
A full list of potential exposures can be found on the GNB website.
