New Brunswick is implementing new mask requirements in schools as the province deals with a spike in new COVID-19 cases.
And the premier warned Monday that more restrictions could be coming in the days ahead in an effort to control the fourth wave of the virus.
“Everything is on the table,” Premier Blaine Higgs said, which could include requiring proof of vaccination to access non-essential services, businesses and activities.
Public Health reported 122 new cases of COVID-19 over a three-day period between Saturday and Monday. There are now 229 active cases and 11 people in the hospital, including nine in intensive care.
The new cases include 51 on Saturday (Sept. 11), 39 on Sunday (Sept. 12), and 32 on Monday (Sept. 13). According to Public Health, 86 per cent of these cases were not fully vaccinated.
There were 48 cases in the Campbellton region, 36 in the Moncton region, 23 in the Fredericton region, 11 in the Edmundston region, two in the Miramichi region, and one each in the Saint John and Bathurst regions.
Of the new cases, 73 are contacts of previously-confirmed cases, one is travel-related, and the remaining 48 are under investigation.
Starting Tuesday, students will have to wear masks in all areas at school, including classrooms, and on buses for the next two weeks. Masks can be removed when eating or drinking, or taking part in sports or physical education.
Up until now, students were only required to wear masks on the bus and in common indoor areas at school. The measures will be in place for the next two weeks and reassessed by the week of Sept. 27.
Education Minister Dominic Cardy said positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in 11 schools and three child care facilities since Thursday evening.
- Zone 1 (Moncton region): A positive case has been confirmed at Riverview High School, West Riverview Elementary and Moncton High School.
- Zone 3 (Fredericton region): A positive case has been confirmed at École Sainte-Anne in Fredericton and two positive cases have been confirmed at Donald Fraser Memorial in Plaster Rock.
- Zone 5 (Campbellton region): A positive case has been confirmed at Dalhousie Regional High School, Galion des Appalaches in Campbellton and Polyvalente Roland-Pépin in Campbellton. Two positive cases have been confirmed at Lord Beaverbrook School in Campbellton, Sugarloaf Senior High School in Campbellton, and Campbellton Middle School. Positive cases have also been confirmed at Wee Care Day Care, Wee Care 2 Early Learning Centre and Youth In Action Day Care, all of which are located in Campbellton.
There has been no student-to-student transmission in schools at this point, according to Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer of health.
But Russell also cautioned that, given the two-week incubation period of the virus, the cases we are seeing today are from before the start of the school year.
She said New Brunswick is seeing an “epidemic” among the unvaccinated — those who have chosen to remain unvaccinated and those not yet eligible for the vaccine.
Russell said young children are “most often” being affected due to contact with a family or household member who is not fully vaccinated.
“I say this without malice or without judgment, but this is what we’re seeing in terms of transmission,” she said.
Public Health is also “very concerned” about an outbreak at the Harvest House shelter in Moncton, where 24 cases have been confirmed, said Russell. A second round of testing will take place Monday.
Higgs said cabinet will be meeting Monday afternoon to discuss the current situation and whether new requirements are needed to ensure hospitals do not become overwhelmed and that “we can keep New Brunswick in green.”
“While our health-care system is able to handle the current level of hospitalizations, we do not want to wait until we reach a critical state to introduce changes,” said Higgs.
Details about any decisions made by cabinet are expected to be announced on Wednesday, he said.
As of Monday, Public Health said 76.9 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 85.6 per cent have received their first dose of a vaccine.
The province also announced several new potential public exposures to COVID-19. You can find the full list online.
Follow
