New Brunswick health officials report 15 new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday.
The new cases include two in the Moncton region, three in the Saint John region and 10 in the Edmundston region.
Six of the new cases in Zone 4 are related to the outbreak at Villa des Jardins, an adult residential facility in Edmundston.
In addition, the province is reporting another death linked to COVID-19. The person was a resident of Manoir Belle Vue, an adult residential facility in Edmundston.
“On behalf of all New Brunswickers, Marcia and I express our sincere condolences to this person’s loved ones,” said Premier Blaine Higgs in a news release.
Read more:
New Brunswick reports 2 new COVID-19 cases, awaits results for another suspected variant case
There have now been 21 deaths related to COVID-19 in the province since the start of the pandemic.
To date, the province has confirmed 1,361 cases of the virus, of which 183 remain active.
Seven patients are hospitalized with two in intensive care.
U.K. variant detected
The province said Tuesday that a sample from an individual who tested positive was sent to Winnipeg’s National Microbiology Laboratory, from Moncton’s Dr. Georges-L-Dumont University Hospital Centre.
Testing confirmed the presence of the B.1.1.7. variant, which was first discovered in the U.K.
“The confirmation of a fourth New Brunswick case of the U.K. variant is a reminder of the importance of not letting down our guard where this virus is concerned,” said Higgs in the release.
“COVID-19 has already taken too much away from us. We must continue to work together and do everything in our power to ensure it has no opportunity to spread further.”
The case was related to international travel and was previously reported as a case in the Moncton region.
This is New Brunswick’s fourth case of the U.K. variant.
School-related cases
Health officials also reported a new case at St. Stephen High School in Zone 2 (Saint John area).
“Students stayed home today as contact tracing was conducted,” the province said in the Tuesday release.
“If you or a family member have been in close contact with a case, you will be notified by Public Health for contact tracing. If you do not hear directly from Public Health, you have not been identified as a close contact.”
Read more:
P.E.I. chief health officer hopes Atlantic bubble reopens in couple of months
In Zone 4, now under the red phase of COVID-19 recovery, Francophone schools reopened on Tuesday. Anglophone schools in the region will reopen on Wednesday.
Potential exposure notice
Public health is advising of potential exposure to COVID-19 on two flights from Toronto:
- Air Canada Flight 8918 – from Toronto to Moncton departed at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 27
- Air Canada Flight 8906 – from Montreal to Moncton departed at 6:48 p.m. on Jan. 28
Passengers on these flights are asked to monitor for symptoms and continue self-isolating.