N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Masks return to schools as 'spike' of 122 new cases reported

New Brunswick has recorded a big bump in positive COVID-19 cases related to Campbellton and Moncton clusters, with multiple schools and daycares closed on Monday.

The province announced 122 new cases on Monday, accumulated over the weekend, with new cases in every one of the seven health zones.

Positive cases have been detected in 11 schools and three childcare facilities in the Moncton, Fredericton and Campbellton regions, health zones 1, 3 and 5. There are now 229 active cases in New Brunswick.

The Moncton region has 71 active cases, driven by the alpha variant. The spread in the rest of the province is driven by the delta variant.

"New Brunswick is experiencing a spike in new COVID-19 infections," Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell said at a briefing on Monday afternoon.

Russell announces 122 new cases from weekend

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New Brunswick's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell announced 122 cases of COVID-19 Monday

Eleven people are in hospital because of COVID-19, and nine of them are in the intensive care unit. This is the highest number of ICU patients since the province moved to the green phase of recovery and removed COVID-19 restrictions.

"That's more than we have seen in many months," Russell said.

Russell said most of the people infected have not been vaccinated. She said transmission has been happening in households, and from adults to children. She said people who aren't vaccinated are putting their own health and well-being at risk.

"You're also putting at risk the health of our children and their ability to stay in school … as well as other vulnerable New Brunswickers," Russell said.

She said it's not too late to get vaccinated as the province's two health networks continue to hold first and second dose vaccine clinics. People who get vaccinated are less likely to get infected and less likely to become seriously ill, Russell said.

Education Minister Dominic Cardy, Russell and Premier Blaine Higgs provided the update at a news briefing Monday in Fredericton.

New school rules, additional masking announced

Cardy announced new rules as a result of positive cases being detected in multiple schools and daycares. 

Effective Tuesday, Cardy said, students of all ages in all schools must wear a mask in school and while on buses for the next two weeks. The masks can be removed when students are eating, drinking or engaged in sports or physical education classes. The province will reassess these rules on Sept. 27.

On top of that, there will be additional measures for schools in the Campbellton and Dalhousie regions until at least Sept. 24, Cardy said.

For the 10 schools in the region, students will have to wear masks in class as well as common areas. There will also be no new extracurricular activities introduced aside from those already underway, contact between students in different classrooms will be reduced, and teachers who are fully vaccinated will not be able to remove their masks except in classrooms.

The schools are:

• Polyvalente Roland-Pépin
• L.E. Reinsborough School
• Le Galion des Appalaches
• Lord Beaverbrook Elementary School
• La Mosaïque du Nord
• Campbellton Middle School
• École communautaire Académie Notre-Dame
• Dalhousie Regional High School
• École aux Quatre Vents
• Sugarloaf Senior High School

The same rules will apply to daycares in the region, Cardy said.

Premier, cabinet consider new measures

Premier Blaine Higgs said Monday that while another mandatory order is not in New Brunswick's future, new COVID-19 measures are.

"This situation is not totally unexpected," he said.

Since the province moved to the green phase of recovery and removed the mandatory order on July 30, there have been 698 cases. Eighty-eight per cent of those were people not fully vaccinated, Higgs said.

He said the province is looking at requiring a proof of vaccination for people accessing non-essential businesses and travel registration for people entering the province. He said cabinet will be discussing these options and announce its decision Wednesday.

"While we are able to address the current level of hospitalizations, we do not want to wait until we reach a critical state to introduce changes," Higgs said.

Many schools closed Monday

Less than a week after classes began in New Brunswick public schools, a number of them are closed due to cases of COVID-19, especially in the Campbellton area.

All schools in the city have cases of COVID-19, in addition to the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick Campbellton campus, the city's mayor said, and all but one school in the city was closed Monday.

Cardy said all schools where an active COVID-19 case is detected will be closed for one day so the school can be deep cleaned.

He said the 11 schools that have had positive cases since Thursday are:

• Lord Beaverbrook School
• Campbellton Middle School
• Le Galion des Appalaches
• Sugarloaf Senior High School
• Polyvalente Roland-Pépin
• Dalhousie Regional High School
• West Riverview Elementary School
• Riverview High School
• Moncton High School
• Donald Fraser Memorial School in Plaster Rock.
• Ecole Sainte Anne in Fredericton.

The daycares include:

• WeCare Daycare
• Youth in Action Daycare
• WeCare Early Learning Centre

Most of these facilities were closed Monday, but some were open with only some classes closed. Cardy said if a COVID case is detected over the weekend or late Friday, the cleaning can be done on Saturday and Sunday to avoid a school closure.

"Wave four is upon us here in Zone 5 and in New Brunswick," Comeau said.

Parents received emails and phone calls about the closures on Sunday, he said, adding that parents were messaging him over the weekend about feeling unwell, along with their children.

Russell said cases being detected in schools were likely contracted before school started and over the Labour Day weekend, and there has been no student-to-student spread.

If families are not contacted by Public Health, students are asked to closely self-monitor for symptoms this week and get tested should symptoms develop.

There are also 26 confirmed cases across the provincial border in Listuguj First Nation in an outbreak tied to the school and daycare.

Outbreak at homeless shelter grows

On Friday the province declared an outbreak at Harvest House, a shelter and community centre in Moncton, where officials had detected six cases.

On Monday, Russell said officials have found 18 more cases, bringing the total to 24.

More testing will be done later Monday, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell said. 

She did not immediately know if any people connected to Harvest House have been hospitalized.

Officials have also tested people at House of Nazareth, another shelter in the city, Russell said.

She noted that the vaccination rate among the "transient" population is low.

"It is something that's on our radar and we continue to address that," she said.

Mandatory vaccines for city staff in Campbellton

In an interview Monday morning, Comeau urged the public to get their vaccines and wear masks to protect school children who can't get vaccinated. He expects many people in the area to return to wearing masks full-time.

"It's kind of scary," he said.

Comeau said city council will be discussing masks and mandatory vaccines for employees at its meeting Monday night.

"We have to protect our employees, we have to protect the public," he said.

"We don't want a winter where suddenly we've got 10 snow plow operators sick and we can't snow plow."

COVID-19 exposures at hospital in Moncton

Public Health also identified places in New Brunswick where people may have been exposed to the virus during the past two weeks. 

According to Public Health's latest update, most of the new possible exposures have been found in the Moncton region.  This includes three exposures at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton.

The Government of New Brunswick's last update on provincial case numbers was Friday.

Current case numbers

New Brunswick confirmed 122 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. Of those cases, 51 were detected on Saturday, Sept. 11, 39 on Sunday and 32 on Monday. 

Eighty-six per cent of these cases are not fully vaccinated. 

The new cases break down in this way:

Moncton region, Zone 1, 36 cases

• Four people 19 and under

• Nine people 20 to 29

• Five people 30 to 39

• Three people 40 to 49

• 10 people 50 to 59

• Three people 60 to 69

• Two people 70 to 79

Twenty-six cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and 10 cases are under investigation.

Saint John region, Zone 2, one case

• A person 30 to 39. Travel related

Fredericton region, Zone 3, 23 cases

• 12 people 19 and under

• Four people 20 to 29

• Two people 30 to 39

• Two people 40 to 49

• A person 50 to 59

• Two people 60 to 69

Fifteen cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and eight cases are under investigation.

Edmundston region, Zone 4, 11 cases

• A person 19 and under

• Two people 20 to 29

• Two people 30 to 39

• Two people 40 to 49

• Two people 60 to 69

• A person 70 to 79

• A person 90 and over

Eight cases are under investigation and three cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Campbellton region, Zone 5, 48 cases

• Twenty-eight people 19 and under

• Six people 20 to 29

• Three people 30 to 39

• Six people 40 to 49

• Two people 50 to 59

• A person 60 to 69

• Two people 70 to 79

Twenty-seven cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and 21 cases are under investigation.

Bathurst region, Zone 6, 1 case 

• An individual 20 to 29. The case is under investigation.

Miramichi region, Zone 7, two cases 

• A person 20 to 29

• A person 30 to 39

Both are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

New Public exposure notices

Public Health has identified new places in New Brunswick where people may have been exposed to the virus during the past two weeks. 

Moncton region, Zone 1:

• Sept. 7 between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. – TH Sports Group, Sports Complex (184 Barker St., Moncton).
• Sept. 6 between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. – Club Chasse et Pêche Haute-Aboujagne (326 Aboujagne Rd., Haute-Aboujagne)

Saint John region, Zone 2:

• Sept. 7 between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. – Walmart (450 Westmorland Rd., Saint John)
• Sept. 7 between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. – Superstore (168 Rothesay Ave., Rothesay)
• Sept. 4 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. – Java Moose Coffee (519 Westmorland Rd., Saint John)

Campbellton region, Zone 5:

• Sept. 10 between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m.  – Tap's Bar (42 Water St., Campbellton)
• Sept. 8 and 9 between 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.  – Gym Fitness (384 Dover St., Campbellton)
• Sept. 7 between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.  – Salon de Coiffure Cheveux Modern Hair (59 Water St., Campbellton)
• Sept. 7 between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.  – Atlantic Superstore (25 Savoie Ave., Atholville)
• Sept. 6 between noon and 3:30 p.m.  – Super 8 Hotel (Reception and Pool) (26 Duke St., Campbellton)
• Sept. 6 between 11 a.m. and noon  – Dairy Queen (84 Notre Dame St., Atholville)
• Sept. 4 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.  – Atlantic Superstore (25 Savoie Ave., Atholville)
• Sept. 3 between noon and 1 p.m.  – Chez Kim Restaurant (65 Water St., Campbellton)
• Sept. 3 between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.  – Life Church (198 Roseberry St., Campbellton)
• Sept. 2 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.  – Atlantic Superstore (25 Savoie Ave., Atholville)

Previous exposure notices

Public Health has identified a positive case of COVID-19 in a person who may have been infectious while on the following flights:

Flight exposure notifications: 

• Sept. 8 – Air Canada Flight 8790 – from Montreal to Saint John departed at 7:53 p.m.
• Sept. 5 – Air Canada Flight 8502 – from Montreal to Fredericton departed at 1:59 p.m.
• Sept. 4 – Air Canada Flight 8502 – from Montreal to Fredericton departed at 1:58 p.m.
• Sept. 1 – Air Canada Flight 7548 – from Toronto to Fredericton departed at 8:55 p.m.

Public Health has also identified places in New Brunswick where people may have been exposed to the coronavirus during the past two weeks.

Moncton region, Zone 1:

• Sept. 11 between 1:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. –  A & C Convenience Store laundromat (369 McLaughlin Rd., Moncton)
• Sept. 10 between 10:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. – Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre Emergency Room (330 Université Ave, Moncton)
• Sept. 10 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. – McDonald's (420 Paul St., Dieppe)
• Sept. 8 between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. – Golf Town (52 Wyse St., Moncton)
• Sept. 8 between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. – Moncton Golf & Country Club clubhouse (212 Coverdale Rd., Riverview)
• Sept. 8 between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. – Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre Emergency Room (330 Université Ave, Moncton)
• Sept. 8 between 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre outpatient clinic (330 Université Ave, Moncton)
• Sept. 8 and September 7 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. – MacDonald Buick GMC Cadilac (111 Baig Blvd. Moncton)
• Sept.7 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. - Supercuts (45 Plaza Blvd., Moncton)
• Sept. 5 between 10:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. – Casino New Brunswick (21 Casino Dr., Moncton)
• Sept. 5 between midnight and 2 a.m. – Second Floor Nightclub (837 Main St., Moncton)
• Sept. 5 between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. – Mama's Restaurant (806 Main St., Moncton)
• Sept. 5 between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. – Shediac Market (10 Weldon St., Shediac)
• Sept. 4 between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. - Cosmo dance night club (837 Main St., Moncton)
• Sept. 4 between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. – Walmart (477 Paul St., Dieppe)
• Sept. 4 between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. – Dieppe Market (232 Gauvin St., Dieppe)
• Sept. 4 between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – Kelsey's Restaurant (141 Trinity Dr., Moncton)
• Sept. 4 between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Nita's Bar and Grill (1999 Mountain Rd., Moncton)
• Sept. 4 between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – Champlain Mall (477 Paul St., Dieppe)
• Sept. 3 between 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – Café Cognito (581 Main St., Moncton)
• Sept. 3 between 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. – Dieppe Market (232 Gauvin St., Dieppe)
• Sept. 1 between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. – The Third Glass Bar, 819 Main St., Moncton)
• Aug. 31 between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. – Service NB Dieppe (200-258 Champlain St, Dieppe)
• Aug. 31 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. – 24/7 Fitness Club (121 Pine Glen Rd., Riverview)
• Aug. 31 between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. – Wise Guyz Pub (176 Robinson St., Moncton)
• August 30 between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. – Oceanside Fitness (184 Main St., Shediac)

Saint John region, Zone 2:

• Sept. 4 between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Old Navy (90 Consumers Dr., E Saint John)
• Sept. 1 between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Costco (300 Retail Dr., Saint John)

Fredericton region, Zone 3: 

• Sept. 8 between noon and 5 p.m. – Kings Landing (5804 Route 102, Prince Williams)
• Sept. 4 between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – Subway (Unit 3, F. Tribe Rd., Perth-Andover)
• Sept. 4 between 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. – Upper Miramichi Rural Community Park (6094 Route 8, Boiestown)
• Sept. 3 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. – Tobique Youth Center (268 Main St., Tobique First Nations)
• Sept. 1, 2, 3, and Aug. 30 and 31 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Goodine Insurance (126 Ford Rd., Perth-Andover)
• Sept. 3 between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Guardian Johnson Drug (16F. Tribe Rd., Perth-Andover)
• Sept. 3 between 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. – TCBY Yogurt (121 Route 550, Hartford)
• Sept. 2 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Swiss Chalet (961 Prospect St., Fredericton)
• Sept. 2 between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – Princess Auto (21 Trinity Ave., Fredericton)
• Sept. 2 between 6:30 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. – Wetmore Street Pub (530 New Maryland Highway, New Maryland
• Sept. 1 between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – County Tractors & Machinery Ltd. (9130 Route 130, Florenceville-Bristol)
• Aug. 31 between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Springwater Campground pool (2539 Route 130, Four Falls)
• Aug. 30 between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Tim Horton's (22F. Tribe Rd., Perth-Andover)
• Aug. 30 & 31 – Amsterdam Inn & Suites (383 Centreville Rd., Florenceville-Bristol)

Edmundston Region, Zone 4

• Sept. 9 between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (240 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
• Sept. 8 between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. – Le Grand-Saut (155 Broadway Bd., Grand Falls)
• Sept. 8 and 9 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. – CCNB – Edmundston campus (35, rue du 15 août, Edmundston)
• Sept. 8 and 9 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. – UMCE Université de Moncton, Edmundston campus  (165 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston)
• September 8 between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. –  A&A Ouellette Entreprise Ltd (1423 Tobique Rd., Drummond)
• Sept. 7 between 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
• Sept. 5 between 4: p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – FOODLAND (535 Everard H. Daigle Blvd., Grand Falls)
• Sept. 5 between 9:30 a.m. and noon – St. Patrick Catholic Church (2154 Route 130, Limestone Siding)
• Sept. 4 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Burger King (100 Broadway Blvd., Grand Falls)
• Sept. 3 between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
• Sept. 3 between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Canadian Tire (383 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
• Sept. 3 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Town Hall [Public Health Office, Mental Health Office, Social Development, Library, Police Office, Town Planning Office] (131 Pleasant Rd., Grand Falls)
• Sept. 2 between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. – Theriault and Morin Dentist (148 Broadway Blvd., Grand Falls)
• Sept. 1 between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. – Walmart (494 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
• Sept. 1 between 8 a.m. and noon – Shoppers Drug Mart (344 Canada Road, Unit B, Saint Quentin)
• Aug. 31 between noon and 1 p.m. – Kat'n Dan's Pub & Restaurant (180 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
• Aug. 31 between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. –Shoppers Drug Mart (344 Canada Road, Unit B, Saint Quentin)
• Aug. 30 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. – BMR (Labrie Road, Saint Quentin)
• Aug. 30 to September 1 between 8 a.m. and noon – Bonichoix (145 Canada Road, Saint Quentin)
• Aug. 30 between 8 a.m. and noon – Shoppers Drug Mart (344 Canada Road, Unit B, Saint Quentin)

Campbellton region, Zone 5:

• Sept. 8 and 9 between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.  – CCNB – Campbellton (47 Village Ave., Campbellton)
• Sept. 7 between 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. – Restigouche Walk-In Clinic (68 Water St., Campbellton)
• Sept. 5 between 2:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. – North Shore Cinema (52 Roseberry St., Campbellton)
• Sept. 4 and 5 – Life Church (198 Roseberry St., Campbellton)
• Sept. 4 between 7 p.m. and midnight – Balmoral Community Centre (21 Centre Rd., Balmoral)
• Sept. 4 – Restigouche Golf and Country Club (30565 McLeods Rte. 134, Campbellton)
• Aug. 30 to Sept. 4 – Chubby's Barber Shop (81 A Roseberry St., Campbellton

Acadie-Bathurst region, Zone 6:

• Sept. 8 between 8 a.m. and noon – CCNB – Bathurst Campus, Main Building (725 Collège Rd., Bathurst)
• Sept. 4 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. – Studio Olympus (1079 Principale Rd., Beresford)
• Sept. 2 between 10 p.m. and 12:15 a.m. – Dooly's (426 B St., Tracadie-Sheila)
• Aug. 30 between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – Sobeys (1125 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst)

Miramichi region, Zone 7:

• Sept. 8 between 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Cali.Co. Café (1 Allan St., Miramichi)

What to do if you have a symptom

People concerned they might have COVID-19 can take a self-assessment test online.

Public Health says symptoms of the illness have included a fever above 38 C, a new or worsening cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, a new onset of fatigue, and difficulty breathing.

In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes.

People with one of those symptoms should stay at home, call 811 or their doctor and follow instructions.