Dr. Jennifer Russell speaks during a COVID-19 briefing on December 10th, 2021. Image: GNB YouTube screen capture.
New Brunswick recorded 143 Covid-19 infections today, one of the highest single-day case counts since the pandemic began.
Thirty-six people are in hospital with the virus, 12 are in the ICU, and there were 63 recoveries since the province last released Covid-19 numbers. There are 971 active Covid-19 cases in the province.
The province also recorded a single death stemming from the virus. The person lived in the Miramichi zone and was between the age of 70 and 79.
The news comes one day after the province recorded 174 Covid-19 infections, which was the highest ever single-day total.
Despite the high case counts, the province will not adjust its Covid-19 restrictions.
Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said in a press briefing the situation in the province “has changed in recent weeks.”
Because of that, public health officials “don’t see a need to recommend further restrictions.”
She said the purpose of Covid-19 restrictions is to secure the province’s healthcare system while “minimizing impact on the everyday life of New Brunswickers.”
She said the province can react differently to outbreaks today because vaccination rates are much higher than they were during past outbreaks.
As of today, 88.2 percent of New Brunswick residents five and older have received their first vaccine dose. Meanwhile, 82.2 percent have received two doses.
“Having a highly vaccinated population allows us to respond differently than we would have done a few months ago. We can now respond in a way that focuses on securing our healthcare system while protecting our collective mental health and wellbeing,” she said.
Right now, Russell said, health officials are watching hospitalizations and ICU admissions closely to see if further restrictions might be required. However, Russell said both have been trending downward and the situation in the province’s hospitals is “manageable”
She said further restrictions might be necessary soon. If they are, the province will apply them in a way that keeps life as normal as possible for New Brunswickers.
Many of the new Covid-19 infections are in children and teenagers and some parents have expressed concerns that schools will remain open.
Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said the province will close schools “when it’s necessary” but that it will try to keep them open as long as possible.
She said it is better to have kids in the classroom than at home—both for their mental health and the for the quality of their education.
However, in the Fredericton region, where cases in schools are higher than normal, the province is distributing rapid test kits to students up to Grade 8, starting Monday.
In Zone 3 schools with active cases, students and staff will be required to use rapid test. In schools that have not had active cases in the past 14 days, it is recommended – but not mandatory – that students test daily.
The rate of new cases is 11.5 per 100,000 for the fully vaccinated, 15.8 per 100,000 for the partially vaccinated, and 54.3 per 100,000 for the unvaccinated.
Of those currently in hospital, the rate is 2.6 per 100,000 for the fully vaccinated, 2.3 per 100,000 for the partially vaccinated, and 15.9 per 100,000 for the unvaccinated.
Among those in the ICU, the rates are 0.6 per 100,000 for the fully vaccinated, 0 per 100,000 for the partially vaccinated, and 6.7 per 100,000 for the unvaccinated.
There are 179 active cases in the Moncton zone and 213 active cases in the Saint John health zone.
Province remains at Level 1 of Winter Plan / hospitalizations remain stable https://t.co/ERUemBfTPi
A map of potential public exposures can also be found on the COVID-19 dashboard https://t.co/oIqIZSv1av pic.twitter.com/zXEOI7sSrD
— Government of NB (@Gov_NB) December 10, 2021
New Cases By Region:
The 23 new cases in Zone 1 (Moncton region) are as follows:
three people nine and under;
a person 10-19;
three people 20-29;
two people 30-39;
four people 40-49;
five people 50-59;
three people 60-69; and
two people 70-79.
Eighteen cases are under investigation and five are contacts of previously known cases.
The 28 new cases in Zone 2 (Saint John region) are as follows:
three people nine and under;
three people 10-19;
seven people 20-29;
two people 30-39;
three people 40-49;
four people 50-59;
four people 60-69; and
two people 70-79.
Eighteen cases are under investigation and 10 are contacts of previously known cases.
The 61 new cases in Zone 3 (Fredericton region) are as follows:
nine people nine and under;
19 people 10-19;
10 people 20-29;
five people 30-39;
eight people 40-49;
three people 50-59;
four people 60-69;
two people 70-79; and
a person 80-89.
Fifty-three cases are under investigation and eight are contacts of previously known cases.
The eight new cases in Zone 4 (Edmundston region) are as follows:
a person nine and under;
three people 10-19;
two people 20-29;
a person 30-39; and
a person 40-49.
Six cases are contacts of previously known cases and two are under investigation.
The two new cases in Zone 5 (Campbellton region) are as follows:
a person 10-19; and
a person 50-59.
Both cases are under investigation
The two new cases in Zone 6 (Bathurst region) are as follows:
a person 40-49; and
a person 60-69.
Both cases are under investigation.
The 19 new cases in Zone 7 (Miramichi region) are as follows:
two people nine and under;
two people 10-19;
four people 20-29;
three people 30-39;
a person 40-49;
a person 50-59;
three people 60-69;
two people 70-79; and
a person 80-89.
Nine cases are under investigation, nine are contacts of previously known cases and one case is travel-related.
