Chief Medical Officer of Health Jennifer Russell, Premier Blaine Higgs, and Education Minister Dominic Cardy held a rare Sunday afternoon news conference this weekend. Russell had bad news to share on two fronts. First, she announced 36 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 the province, “the largest number of cases reported in a single day since the pandemic began,” she said.

“But more troubling,” said Russell, “is the fact that 24 of these new cases were reported in one area.” Health zone 4, the Edmundston-Grand Falls area reported by far the most cases in a single zone in a single day on Sunday. The number of active cases in zone 4 jumped by more than one third, from 52 to 76, said Russell. “And it is now clear that the majority of the cases being reported in zone 4 are linked to one workplace area,” she said.

Zone moved to the red alert level at midnight last night. Russell said other health zones would remain at the orange level… for now.

“We are again reminded of how quickly the COVID-19 virus can spread and how fast our situation can change,” said Russell. “While the other zones will remain at the orange alert level for the time being, it is very clear that zones 1, 2 and 3 are on the cusp of moving to the red alert level.”

BY THE NUMBERS

The southeast region reported 5 new cases yesterday, bringing the total active cases in the health zone up to 63. The provincewide breakdown is as follows:

• Zone 1 (Southeast/Moncton): 5 new cases
• Zone 2 (Saint John region): 4 new cases
• Zone 3 (Fredericton region): 2 new cases
• Zone 4 (Edmundston region): 24 new cases
• Zone 6 (Bathurst region): 1 new case

Public Health announced 1723 test results province-wide Sunday, with 337 of those in the southeast region.

Russell said that 2101 people were in self isolation on Sunday.

SCHOOLS TO REMAIN OPEN IN RED

Education Minister Dominic Cardy announced a major change to restrictions in the red phase: schools will now remain open.

Cardy indicated that schools in red phase will have increased screening, enhanced mask use, changes to phys-ed protocols and limited extra curricular activities.

Cardy said, “we know that the safest place for students to be right now is in school.”

“Dr. Russell has pointed out that when students are at school, they’re in a supervised environment,” said Cardy. “With those strict health and safety protocols in place, their social needs can be met, while maintaining physical distancing, using masks, and of course, the encouragement to maintain proper hygiene.”

“That’s why we support the recommendations of Public Health,” said Cardy, “and have made the changes to our Return to School plan that ensures students can stay in schools during the red phase, following increased health and safety measures.”

Candy said that in the red phase, a case associated with a school community would trigger a temporary school closure for contact tracing, and increased access to testing.

“WE ARE AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE”

Russell said the coming week would be an important one to show which way New Brunswick is headed with the current outbreaks.

“We are at a critical juncture in the course of this pandemic,” said Russell. “And the next week will show whether we are heading for a further rapid rise of cases, as is now being seen in Maine and Quebec, or whether we are bringing this outbreak under control.”

“We have the ability to turn the tide of the second wave,” said Russell. “But it requires vigilance, caution, and the determination to make smart choices, which the majority of New Brunswickers have been making.”