N.B. COVID-19 roundup: One-day record of 31 confirmed cases

New Brunswick has set a record for the highest number of new cases of COVID-19 in a single day at 31, the chief medical officer of health announced on Wednesday.

"Clusters of infection that started during the Christmas holidays continue to grow and spread,"saidDr. Jennifer Russell.

People who were infected at gatherings went on to infectother people and they, in turn, have come into contact with other people, she said. "So we're seeing transmission in different layers."

Ninety-seven health-care workers are also off the job and isolating for COVID-related reasons, said Russell.

Of those, 73 are with the Horizon Health Network,19 are with the Vitalit Health Networkand five are with Extra-Mural and Ambulance New Brunswick.

"As grim as it looks today, things will likely get worse before they get better," Russell warned.

She expects to see a spike in cases within seven to 10 days related to New Year's Eve parties and gatherings, she said, urgingall New Brunswickers to "get serious" about stopping the spread of the virus.

"To get back to yellow and prevent the province from sliding into red, we must all redouble our efforts to prevent COVID-19from getting an even firmer grip on this province."

The alternative is hundreds of new cases every day, as is now being seen in Quebec,Ontario and Maine, hospital beds filled with COVID-19 patients and overwhelmed health-care workers, said Russell.

Jennifer Russell announces another record-breaking day for COVID-19 cases

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Duration 7:15

Chief medical officer tells New Brunswickers to continue being resilient and to follow public health guidelines, as she announces 31 new cases of COVID-19 in province on Wednesday.

"This is a very serious situation that could rapidly change and the numbers can go up exponentially in a very short amount of time," she stressed.

"We don't want to instill that much fear that people are terrified, but honestly, the numbers can go so high, we can look like other provinces and jurisdictions and countries, and we just don't want to do that. So we want to do everything possible to avoid that. Again, while trying to maintain the economy, while trying to protect people's mental health, while allowing children to go to school, et cetera."

The new cases include:

Zone 1, the Moncton region:6

Zone 2, the Saint John region:18

Zone 3, the Fredericton region:3

Zone 4, the Edmundstonregion:1

Zone 5, the Campbelltonregion: 3

All of the cases are self-isolating and under investigation.

There are now110 active cases in the province, and one person isin hospital in intensive care,Russelltold reporters during a briefing in Fredericton, along withHealth Minister Dorothy Shephard.

Moncton school confirms case, will be closed Thursday

BessboroughSchool, a kindergarten-to-Grade 8 school in Moncton's west end, will be closed Thursday following a report of a positive case of COVID-19 at the school.

In a tweet posted Wednesday night, the Anglophone East School District said Public Health informed them of the case. They did not say whether the case was a student, teacher or school employee.

"We have been informed by Public Health of a positive case of COVID-19 at Bessborough School," the tweet said. "Bessborough will be closed tomorrow, January 7th, so that Public Health can complete their contact tracing."

A look at previous orange phase rollbacks

The update comes onthe first day of the entire province being back at the stricter orange level of recovery, which took effect at midnight Tuesday afterRussellannounced what was then a record single-day numberof new cases at 27.

This is the first time the Bathurstand Miramichi regions, zones 6 and 7,have been returned to orange since the pandemic began in March.

The Campbellton region, Zone 5, was the first in the province to be bumpedback on May 27. It stayed at the orange level for 29 days before Public Health officials felt it was safe to return to the yellow level.

On Oct. 10, the Campbellton region went backto orange again, this time for 27 days.

The Moncton region, Zone 1, has also been placed in orange twice, on Oct. 10 and Nov. 20. It took 13 and 17 days respectively before the region was returned to yellow.

The Saint John region, Zone2, went to orange on Nov. 21 for 20 days, followed by the Fredericton region, Zone 3, on Nov. 27 for 10 days, and the Edmundston region, Zone 4, on Dec. 12 for 11 days.

Hospital capacity biggest factor in considering shift to red

New Brunswick remainsatthe orange levelof COVID-19 recovery, but the chief medical officer of health said Wednesday it's possiblethe province could be rolled back to redif the spread of the virus continues.

Dr. Jennifer Russellsaid the epidemiology team and medical officers of health are monitoring the case count and other factors, such as the thehighly contagiousU.K. variant,on a daily basis.

The mainfactor when deciding whetherstricter lockdown is necessary, she said, is hospital capacity.

There is currently one person in hospital, but an outbreak in a Saint John nursing home means more hospitalizations are possible, Russell said.

"That's probably the most important thing that we're going to be monitoring at this point in time," she said.

Health Minister Dorothy Shephardsaid the province will "do everything possible" to ensure urgent care is maintained. Her biggest concern is the intensive care units.

"We have a tremendous amount right now of elderly individuals who are infected with COVID-19 and we want to ensure that we have the ability to care for them if urgent care is needed," she said.

Elective surgeries would be the first service reduction, said Shephard.The Upper River Valley Hospital in Waterville, Zone 3,has already had some elective surgeries postponed.

The minister could not provide a figure for when staffing levels would drop too low to be sufficient, saying it would depend on the specific region and whether it's a rural or urban hospital.

But she did note more health-care workers 108 were off during a previous outbreak in the Saint John region. At that time, Horizon and Vitalit "partnered up and supported each other," she said.

"I have confidence that the [regional health authorities]will keep us in the loop and help us to determine when things need to change."

On Wednesday afternoon, Horizon posted on Twitter that it's hiring to support its response to the ongoing pandemic.

"We're establishing a list of clinical and administrative external human resources should the need arise for our #COVID19 Assessment Centres and immunization clinics," it said.

Shephardshe is confident New Brunswick can "get back on track" and return to yellow if people "obey" the orange-level measures.

"By now, we are all familiar with these rules, but they will only work if we take them to heart and we follow them," she said.

"We have moved out of red and orange levels over and over again since March, and we've done this by working collaboratively."

Orange level guidelines

At the orange level, residents must stick to a one-household bubble, which can be extended to caregivers,an immediate family memberwho needs the support from someone in the household, and one other person who needs support. Only members of thissingle-household are permitted to go to restaurants and other venues together.

Face masks are mandatory in all indoor public places and in outdoor public spaces if physical distancing of two metres cannot be maintained.

Outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people are permitted with physical distancing. Physical distancing is required in all other settings.

18 cases at Saint John nursing home

There are now 18 confirmed cases ofCOVID-19atShannexInc.'s Tucker Hall nursing home in Saint John.

In a news release on its website Wednesday night, the company said three new cases have been confirmed in employees.

"Since our last update, there have been no additional positive test results for residents and we received three new positive employee test results. This brings the number of positive cases identified at Tucker Hall to 11 residents and seven employees," the release said.

Retesting is scheduled for Friday. In the meantime, all residents of Tucker Hall will continue to isolate in their suites.

"Our team members are supporting them with activities and facilitating opportunities to connect with their loved ones through telephone or virtual calls," the release stated.

In a new release Tuesday night, the company said three more employees and 10 more residents have tested positive. Most of thesetest results were not available for theprovince's case count earlier Tuesday.

On Monday, anemployee tested positive and a resident, who was identified as a close contact, had alsotested positive Monday night.

The "renewed" outbreak is in an area of the home that was not affected when the outbreak was declared on Nov. 20, Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health, revealed Wednesday.

News of the increased cases is upsetting to the Parkland Saint John community, the company said in the release.

"The residents and families of Tucker Hall have endured a great deal and we are saddened that they must go through this time of uncertainty and isolation, but we are here with them."

Up until Monday, the last positive case was announced onDec. 17.

All of the approximately 90 residents and 130 employees wereretested Tuesday, but it could take until Wednesday evening to receive all of the results, according to the statement.

Families of the residents who tested positive have been contacted.

All residents are isolating in their rooms and contact tracing continues.

Another round of mass testing will take place later this week, Public Health said.

The new cases come asShannexwas anticipating Public Health lifting its outbreak status next week, after going about 17 days with no new cases.

Outbreaks are typically declared over 28 days twoCOVID-19 incubation periodsafter the latest casetested positive.

More vaccines coming this week

Some Saint John residents will be getting vaccinated in the coming days.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health, said the province is expecting 2,100 doses of the Moderna vaccineand 2,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine between this week and next.

Health Minister DorothyShephard said the province is planning clinics in the Saint John area next week. She said it's not clear if residents of Shannex's Tucker Hall nursing home, where there is a COVID-19 outbreak, will be vaccinated duringthat clinic.

Russell said some initial vaccine doses will be going to nursing home residents and vulnerable people, but vaccines can't be used as a stopgap to an ongoing outbreak.

This is because the first dose doesn't take effect for at least a week, if not two weeks, so "you wouldn't be getting that kind of protection," she said.

Each person being vaccinated requires two doses to be protected.

"That's not to say that it's not important to vaccinate people anyway, despite the outbreak, but it certainly wouldn't be as a protective measure for that particular outbreak that was happening at that time," she added.

Dorothy Shephard urges New Brunswickers to stay patient about vaccines, follow Public Health guidelines

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Duration 4:39

Health minister says many more New Brunswickers will be vaccinated soon, but province can't risk overwhelming the health care system in the meantime.

New Brunswick has received 11,175 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, as of Wednesday, according to Public Health.

It is anticipated that 7,500 doses will have been administered by Monday. This includes people from the province's first clinicin Miramichi Dec. 19-20receiving their second dose. The remaining vaccine is being held to ensure people who received their first dose will also receive their second dose.

More than 500residents and staff from nine long-term care facilities acrossthe province have been vaccinated to date. Bythe end of Wednesday, that number is expected to climb to more than 1,200.

Vaccination clinics will continue to be set up around the province as the supply of vaccine increases in the coming weeks and months, officials said.

110 active cases

The active cases of COVID-19 in the province include:

• Moncton region, Zone 1: 38
• Saint John region, Zone 2: 22
• Fredericton region, Zone 3: 34
• Edmundston region, Zone 4: 6
• Campbellton region, Zone 5:9
• Bathurst region, Zone 6: 1

New Brunswick has had 693confirmed cases since the pandemic began. To date,573people have recovered and there have been nine COVID-related deaths. The death of a 10thperson with COVID-19 was not related to the disease.

A total of 156,043tests have been conducted, including 790 since the report Tuesday.

New exposure notification

On Tuesday, Public Health identified a positive case in a traveller who may have been infectious on Jan. 1 while on the following flight:

• Air Canada Flight 8910from Toronto to Moncton, departed at 8:30 a.m.

Public Health had previouslyidentified a positive case in a traveller who may have been infectious on the following flights:

• Dec. 24 Air Canada Flight8506 fromMontreal to Fredericton, departed at 7:05 p.m.
• Dec. 24 Air Canada Flight414 fromToronto to Montreal, departed at 2:10 p.m.
• Dec.24 Air Canada Flight8620 fromSaskatoon to Toronto, departed at 8:35 a.m.
• Dec.20 Air Canada Flight 8910 from Toronto toMoncton, arrived at 11:23 a.m.

Public Health also identified potential public exposure at the following locations:

• BoDiddley'sLounge,295CollishawSt., onDec. 31 and Jan. 1 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. (285CollishawSt.,Moncton)
• Miss Cue pool hall,495 Mountain Rd.,Moncton,Dec.31 from 11 p.m. to Jan. 1 at 1:30 a.m.
• Walmart,4JagoeSt.,Atholville, onDec. 30 between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and onDec. 31 between11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• MonctonSquash Club,71 Essex St.,onDec. 29, 30 and 31 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• FoggerzFive-O-Six,an e-cigarette store in Woodstock,has closed because of possibleCOVID-19 exposure.

If you were at any of these locations, and you have no symptoms ofCOVID-19, self-monitor and follow all Public Health guidelines. If you are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms ofCOVID-19 and do not need to talk to a nurse, complete the self-assessment and get tested.

What to do if you have a symptom

People concerned they might haveCOVID-19 symptoms cantake a self-assessment test online.

Public Health says symptoms shown by people withCOVID-19 have included:

• A fever above 38 C.

• A new cough or worsening chronic cough.

• Sore throat.

• Runny nose.

• Headache.

• New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell.

• 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.

• CallTele-Care 811 or their doctor.

• Describe symptoms and travel history.

• Follow instructions.