N.B. COVID-19 roundup: 6 new presumptive cases bring province's total to 17

Six new presumptive cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed in New Brunswick, and two previous presumptive cases have now been confirmed, bringing the province's total number of cases to 17, chief medical officer of health Dr. Jennifer Russell announced on Saturday.

There are now eightconfirmed cases and ninepresumptive cases.

Four of the latest ones involvepeople from the southern part of the province who had been on a cruise,Russell told reporters during the daily update in Fredericton.

She said she didn't have information about whether the individuals had been on the same cruise.

The new cases include:

• A manin his 40s in the south who had been on a cruise.
• A woman in her 50s in central New Brunswick who is adirect contact of a previously identified presumptive case.
• A woman in her 40s in the south who had been on a cruise.
• A man in his 60s in the south who had been on acruise.
• A woman in her50s in the south who had been on a cruise.
• A woman in her 20s in thesouth who is acontact to a travel-related presumptive case.

The newly confirmed cases include:

• Aboy under the age of 10 from central New Brunswick announced as presumptive on March 17 and linked to a previous travel-related case.
• A woman in her 60sfrom the southeastannounced as presumptive on March 18 who had been on a cruise.

Premier Blaine Higgs gave an update on COVID-19 in New Brunswick on Saturday

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Chief Medical Officer of Health Jennifer Russell and Blaine Higgs gave an update on New Brunswick COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, on Saturday.

New Brunswick declared a state of emergency Thursday, giving the government broad powers to enforce business closures and social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus.

"We need to behave as though we all have COVID-19," advised Russell.

"Although there may not be cases in your area yet, you need to act like there are," she said. "There are people traveling from all over the world to different parts of New Brunswick."

As long as returning international travellers self-isolate for the mandatory 14 days, call 811 if they develop symptoms and continue to self-isolate while they await test results, Russell said she "anticipates" being able to contain the travel-related cases.

"That is our goal right now."

Here is a roundup of other developments.

People calling 911 to report on returning travellers

Premier Blaine Higgssaid he has heard of residentscalling 911 to report returning travellers who are not self-isolating for 14 days.

The government will have a phone line and email set up by Sunday for people to call "foradvice on their concerns of how to help family members and neighbours comply with the state of emergencyorders," he said.

The phone number and email will be available on the government website and will be shared through social media.

"For now,the best thing you can do is to direct returning travellers and all residents to follow the guidelines laid out in the state of emergency order."

People returning from travel outside Canada should not be picked up at the airport by family or friends, or go grocery shopping, the premier has said. They should begin their 14-day self-isolation immediately and have a vehicle dropped off and supplies delivered.

Anyone who gives returningtravellers a drive home from the airport, or comes into contact with a traveller, must also self-isolate, Higgs said on Saturday.

P.E.I. to screen at border

Prince Edward Island will be screening anyoneanyone entering the provinceand directing them to self-isolate for 14 dayseven if they're arriving from within Canada, the island's chief public health officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, announced Saturday.

P.E.I., which hastwo confirmed cases of COVID-19, both travel-related,will be setting up screeningcheckpoints at the Confederation Bridge, Charlottetown airport and Sourisferry terminal, she said.

Higgs told reporters he wasn't given a heads-up about the neighbouring province's decision and it's too early to say if New Brunswick will implement similar measures at its provincial borders.

"We will be discussing this week further measures for cross-Canada travel," he said. "And I think we can get synced-up with other provinces in that regard.

"And I likely will have a discussion with the premier of P.E.I., just to understand the criteria and what he felt was necessary for his province."

Canada-U.S. border restrictions kick in

Meanwhile, the border between Canada and the United States officially closed to non-essential traffic Friday at midnight. The closure is expected to remain in effect for at least 30 days.

Higgs said he has been reassured New Brunswick's Campobello Island residents who intend to travel directly between Lubec and Calais, Maine, for essential services "will not be restricted in those travels.

"Additionally, they will be able to travel from St. Stephen to CampobelloIsland directly throughthe United States, as they as they have done for many years," he said.

New Brunswick towns with border crossings are preparing for less traffic, said St. Stephen Mayor AllanMacEachern. He's worried aboutwhat losing that connection to the States will meanfor business in his town.

"We really rely on all that traffic," MacEachern said. "I hope we can put this virus to bed as soon as possible, get back to normal, and then help get our tourism back up again."

Under the bilateral agreement, truckers and workers essential to maintaining supply lines are exempt from the travel order.

Also exempt are health professionals and others who work on one side of the border but live on the other. Students who hold valid visas, temporary foreign workers and anyone with valid work responsibilities may also cross.

Relief from excessiveprescription refill co-payments

Patients with drug coverage under the province's public drug plans will only be responsible for the initial co-payment on a prescription fill or refill during the state of emergency, effective immediately, said Russell.

For example, a patient with a 90-day prescription will only have a co-payment for the first 30-day fill. There will be no co-payment required for the second and third 30-day fills on the same 90-day prescription, she said.

"This applies to all New Brunswickers that are on the public drug plan, including many seniors and low-income individuals."

On Tuesday, the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists had directed all refills to be capped at a 30-day amount to protect drug suppliesin response to last weekend's rush of requests for medication, including requests for early refills.

But patientscomplained that this would triple their costs in dispensing fees.

New self-assessment tool popular

Nearly 5,500 people have already used the newonline self-assessment tool launched Friday by the government, according to Russell.

This has helped reduce the number of calls to Tele-Care 811, which has allowed the health-care professionals to assist callers "more promptly," she said.

The information line has been getting about 1,000 calls a day, up from about 200, Russell hassaid.

'Very likely' measures will extend into May

On Friday night, Higgs told CBC's News Networkthatgovernment measures to curb theoutbreak will "very likely" remain in place until the end of May.

Although difficult topredict, health officials believe the peak of viral infections could still be up to five weeks away, he said.

"We're planning for months," he said.

The totalof negative tests jumped to 771 Saturday, up from 509 on Friday.

As of Friday mid-afternoon, no new cases had been diagnosed in two days.

But Russell told reportersshe expectedthe number of cases to increase in the coming weeks, as people return home from travelling abroad.

She also expects the number of screening teststo soon increase, with 13 new community assessment centres setup across the province to help ease the burden in emergency departments, she said.

Virtual tour of COVID-19 testing centres

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Duration 0:53

Wondering what the NB COVID-19 testing centres are like? Horizon Health has created a virtual tour.

Higgs said Friday public reaction to the state of emergency declarationhas been "very strong andpositively."

People are asking more questions about what they need to do, he said.

"This information has been available, but people are looking a whole lot more now and getting informed. And we need that. And we need them to pay attention.

"And I'm happy to say I think that they're doing a whole lot more of that because I need everyone's help here."

Retired doctors offer to help

About eightretired physicians family doctors and specialists have contacted the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick about practising again,if their services are required, according to the registrar.

"At this point no hospital has requested any.My bet is that will change as this goes on," Dr. Ed Schollenberg said in an email Friday.

Once the retired doctors have "specific plans," the college can license them to practise, he said.

P.E.I. expedites physicianlicensing

Earlier this week, the College of Physicians andSurgeons of Prince Edward Island announced it'sexpeditingthe licensing of qualified physicians coming from other provinces andterritories to help during the island's outbreak, and for those coming out of retirement.

"At this time of crisis, inter-provincial barriers to physician licensure must not be allowed to stifle the flow ofphysicians from areas of lesser need to areas of greater need within Canada,"presidentDr. Matt Kutchersaid in a statement.

The college will reviewapplications made under the emergency policy on a daily basis with a goal of same-day licensure, he said, adding "standard requirements may be modified."

"Extraordinary times require extraordinary solutions."

Schollenberg said the New Brunswick college's licensing process is "always expedited."

Lining up reinforcements

Horizon Health has also asked other retirees and students in medical training to help with the COVID-19 outbreak,if needed.

Those interested are asked to fill out an online questionnaire.

The health network said they are working to make sure they have proper staffing resources in place, including deploying internal and external resources.

Grocery chain gives staff raise

In a release Saturday, the union representing the employees of Loblaw Companies Limited said they will receive a $2 per hourraise, retroactive to March 8.

"It's an important recognition for the essential work of our grocery and pharmacy workers during this crisis," saidUFCW Local 175 president Shawn Haggerty.

Loblaw Companies Ltd. is also addingPlexiglas shields to checkout counters at its Atlantic Superstore locations. The company has acquired the shields and has begun installing them in stores, according toastatement from executive chairman Galen Weston.

Mount A postpones convocation and reunion

On Saturday, Mount Allison University posted on its website that the in-person convocation ceremony and alumni reunion weekend celebrations scheduled for May 8 to 11 are postponed.

The university said a committee will work ona plan to celebrate the graduating class.

"We are working to ensure degrees are conferred so that graduates can continue to make plans for their futures," said Carolle de Ste-Croix, the university's director of alumni engagement.

"At this time the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority."