N.B. COVID-19 roundup: One new death, 54 new cases, province hits 76% vaccinated mark

The province has lost another person to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A person in their 70s in Zone 1, the Moncton region, has died as a result of the disease,bringing the province's pandemic death toll to 47, Public Health said in a news release.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell and Health Minister Dorothy Shephard offered condolences to the victim's family Tuesday but would not saywhether the person had been vaccinated,citing privacy concerns.

"In keeping with privacy legislation, we will not be disclosing the person's vaccination status," Russell said in the release. "The aim of Public Health is to provide information that helps other people protect themselves without allowing individual cases to be identified."

Public Health also updated the province's vaccine numbers, noting that 76.2 per cent of the eligible population is now fully vaccinated and 85.1 per cent has had the first dose.

4-day total of 54 new cases and 54 new recoveries

Public Health reported54 new cases on Tuesday, with 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, 13 on Sunday, 15 on Mondayand 13 today.

The new cases break down this way:

Moncton region, Zone 1, 13 new cases:

• two people 19 and under
• seven people 20 to 29
• two people 40 to 49
• a person 60 to 69 and
• a person 80 to 89

Four cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases, one case is travel-related, six are under investigation and two are community transmission cases.

Fredericton region, Zone 3, 11 cases:

• two people 19 and under
• three people 20 to 29
• a person 40 to 49
• three people 50 to 59
• a person 60to 69
• a person 80 to 89

Three cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases, six are travel-related and two are under investigation.

Edmundston region, Zone 4, 11 cases:

• five people 19 and under
• four people 30 to 39
• a person 60 to 69 and
• a person 70 to 79

Seven cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and four are under investigation.

Campbellton region, Zone 5, eight cases:

• three people 20 to 29
• two people 30 to 39
• two people 50 to 59 and
• a person 60 to 69

Six cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases, one case is travel-related and one is under investigation.

Bathurst region, Zone 6, four cases:

• two people 19 and under
• two people 20 to 29

Three cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and one is under investigation.

Miramichi region, Zone 7, seven cases:

• a person 19 and under;
• two people 20 to 29;
• a person 30 to 39;
• a person 50 to 59; and
• two people 60 to 69.

Six cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and one case is travel-related.

The number of active cases is down slightly since Friday, to 125 active cases from 126, and the number of hospitalizations is up slightly.

There are now four people in hospital, three of them in the intensive care unit.

There have been 54 recoveries since Sept. 3. The number of active cases is 125.

Since July 1, 458 of the province's 519 cases or 88 per cent were not fully vaccinated.

10 cases confirmed in Shediac jail

Thereare now 10 active cases of COVID-19 at the Southeast Regional Correctional Centre, Public Health has confirmed.

All 10 cases have been identified as the alpha variant, department spokesperson Gail Harding said in an email Tuesday.

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The jail has been grappling with a rising number of cases since a first case was detected on Aug. 20. An outbreak was declared after four cases of COVID-19 among staff and inmates were confirmed.

Harding would not say how many of the 10 current cases were inmates or staff, citing the need to maintain confidentiality and prevent stigmatization.

"When we communicate details about an outbreak, we are required to meet two objectives: to disclose enough information to support the public in taking measures to protect themselves, namely where and when an outbreak has occurred, and at the same time, we actively work to ensure any information that would identify specificpersons as having COVID-19 is withheld," Harding said.

Parents won't know whether child's teacher is vaccinated, district says

Full-time, in-class, no-bubblelearning has resumed as of Tuesday in New Brunswick. So are the teachers and school staff who have contact with your child vaccinated?

That's not something parents will be informed of, a district superintendent says.

The province's back-to-school plan, unveiled on Aug. 20 byEducation Minister Dominic Cardy and Dr. Cristin Muecke, the deputy chief medical officer of health,stipulates that all school staff will have to be vaccinated or undergo regular testing and vaccinations for students 12 orolder is strongly encouraged.

But in an interview with Information Morning Fredericton on Tuesday,Anglophone West School District superintendent David McTimoneysaid he has heard from some teachers and staff who had concerns aboutthe requirement that they bevaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to testing three times a week.

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"I have had a very few who have said they don't agree and have asked for clarification," McTimoney said. "That number's not very big though."

McTimoney said he doesn't know the vaccination rate for teachers and staff yet, noting they have been asked to register that information.The district expects to have a more accurate number sometime this week, he said.

Asked if parents would know whether their child's teacher or other staff they have contact with have been vaccinated or not, McTimoney said they would not.

"That's not information that we would be able to share," McTimoney said.

He said that if a staff member is not vaccinated, they'll have to submit to testing three times a week and wear their masks both inside and out of the classroom "at all times."

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In an interview with Information Morning Saint John, Anglophone School District South superintendent Zoe Watson said that districtalso does not yet have numbers forhow many staff are vaccinated, but the information is being collected and should be available soon.

"Last week our goal was collecting that information from our 4,000 employees," Watson said.

However, she noted, participation in first-vaccination clinics for secondary school teachers last March was "very, very high."

In the private sector, while customers are free to ask a business'semployee if they are vaccinated, the employee is under no obligation to answer if they don't want to.

In an earlier interview with CBC News,Toronto-based pharmacologist Sabina Vohra-Miller, who co-foundedtheUnambiguous Scienceweb page to combat vaccine misinformation, spoke toInformation Morning Frederictonabout whether people can ask businesses and employees about their vaccination status.

"If you're going to get a service [and] you want to know if someone's vaccinated, you can absolutely ask them," saidVohra-Miller.

"They're not obligated to share that information with you, but you have absolutely the right to ask."

Confirmed case at Eel River Bar First Nation

A community member at the Eel River Bar First Nation in northern New Brunswick has tested positive for COVID-19, the band officereported on its Facebook page on Tuesday.

"The individual is currently self-isolating," and Public Health has been in contact regarding contact tracing, the post stated.

"We encourage community members considering the vaccine to sign up for our proposed clinic posted by the Upgi'ganjig Health Centre."

Anyone who has been in contact with the individual will be notified by Public Health, the post states.

No new cases at Metepenagiag First Nation

There were seven additional cases confirmed on the Metepenagiag First Nation over the weekend. Chief Bill Ward said all of the cases were related to a single travel-related case, confirmed on Saturday, and that all seven people were isolating.

On Tuesday, Ward said on his Facebook page that no new cases have been reported beyond the seven active cases and noted that onsite pop-up testing is being looked into.

"We feel that it is contained at this moment, as everyone is still isolating," he said.

"We are continuing to work with Public Health in regards to having pop-up testing in the community. We should have word on this soon."

Ward noted that there is a walk-in vaccination clinic today in Miramichi, at the Exhibition Centre, from 2 to 6 p.m.

Residents are required to bring their Medicare card with them. Gas vouchers will be provided if needed to get to and from the centre, Ward said.

New public exposure notices

Public Health issued the following public exposure notices on Tuesday:

Flights:

Aug.26 Air Canada Flight8946 from Toronto to Moncton departed at 11:30 p.m.

Moncton region, Zone 1:

Sept.4 between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Champlain Mall,477 Paul St., Dieppe

Sept.1 between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. The Third Glass Bar,819 Main St., Moncton

Fredericton region, Zone 3:

Sept.2 between 6:30 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. Wetmore Street Pub, 530 New Maryland Highway, New Maryland

Campbellton region, Zone 5:

Aug. 30 to Sept.4Chubby's Barber Shop, 81 A Roseberry St., Campbellton

Bathurst region, Zone 6:

Sept. 2 between 10 p.m. and 12:15 a.m. Dooly's, 426 B St., Tracadie-Sheila

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:

• Aug. 29Air Canada Flight8496 from Toronto to Saint Johndeparted at 2:56 p.m.
• Aug.27Air Canada Flight8904 from Montreal to Moncton,departed at 10:28 p.m.
• Aug.24 Air Canada Flight 8904 from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 8 p.m.
• Aug.21Air Canada Flight7548 from Toronto to Frederictondeparted at 10:25 p.m.

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

Moncton region, Zone 1:

• 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
• Aug.28 Hynes Restaurant,495 Mountain Rd., Moncton
• Aug.28 between 1:15 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Dollarama,105 Main St., Moncton
• Aug.28 between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Superstore,165 Main St., Moncton
• Aug.27 between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Costco,140 Granite Dr., Moncton
• Aug.26 between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Catch 22,589 Main St., Moncton
• Aug.25 between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Homestead Restaurant(358 Coverdale Rd., Riverview)
• Aug.25 between 8 p.m. and midnight Miss Cue,459 Mountain Rd., Moncton
• Aug. 24 between 5:47 p.m. and 3:52 a.m. Moncton City Hospital Emergency Room,135 Macbeath Ave.,Moncton
• Aug. 22 between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dixie Lee Family Restaurant,9369 Main St., Richibucto
• Aug.22 between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. St. James' Gate,200 Golf St., Dieppe
• Aug. 20 between 10:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. Casino NB,21 Casino Dr.,Moncton
• Aug.20 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Costco Wholesale Moncton,140 Granite Dr., Moncton
• Aug. 20 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Guy's Frenchys,1567 Mountain Rd., Moncton
• Aug. 20 between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Pump House Restaurant,51 Orange Lane, Moncton
• Aug.15 between 7:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m., Aug.17 between noon and 1 p.m., Aug.18 between noon and 1p.m. and Aug.19 between noon and 1p.m. Route 51 Green Line and Route 62 Hildegard CodiacTranspo, 140 Millennium Blvd., Moncton
• Aug.18 between 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Igloo Bar, 300 Elmwood Dr., Moncton
• Aug.18 between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Aug,16 between 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., Aug.13 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Aug.11 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Aug.10 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. -Crowne Plaza Moncton, 1005 Main St., Moncton
• Aug. 17 between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. Tide and Boar Brewing,1355 Main St., Moncton
• Aug.16 between 5 and 7 p.m. Boathouse Restaurant,8588 Main St., Alma
• Aug.16 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Burger King,465 Paul St., Dieppe
• Aug.16 between 12 p.m and 7 p.m Magic Mountain Water Park,2875 Mountain Rd., Moncton

Saint John region, Zone 2:

• Sept.1 between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Costco,300 Retail Dr., Saint John
• Aug.26 between 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. O'Leary's Pub,46 Princess St., Saint John
• Aug.17 and 18 Fairway Inn and JJ's Diner,216 Roachville Rd., Sussex
• Aug.17 between 3 p.m. and6 p.m.On the Vine Produce, 1350 Hickey Rd., Saint John
• Aug.17 between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.Greco, 1350 Hickey Rd., Saint John
• Aug.16 between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Gateway Mall,138 Main St., Sussex

Fredericton region, Zone 3:

• Aug.28 between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. The MacShack(22 Irishtown Rd., Stanley)
• Aug.26 between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Valley Veterinary Hospital(2024 Lincoln Rd., Fredericton)
• Aug.25 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Shear Beauty Salon & Spa(155 King St., Fredericton)
• Aug.25 between noon and 9 p.m. Valley Veterinary Hospital(2024 Lincoln Rd., Fredericton)
• Aug.23 and 24 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Valley Veterinary Hospital(2024 Lincoln Rd., Fredericton)
• Aug. 22 between 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Riverbend Golf Course, 541 Route 628, Durham Bridge
• Aug. 21 between noonand 2 p.m. Boston Pizza, 1230 Prospect St., Fredericton
• Aug.20 between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. Ayr Motor Express,46 Poplar St., Woodstock

Edmundston region, Zone 4:

• Aug.28 between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Walmart,805 Victoria Rd., Edmundston
• Between Aug. 20 and Aug. 27 Camping St-Lonard,470 Route 17, Saint-Lonard
• Between Aug.20 and Aug. 27 Pinky's Roadside Diner,470 Route 17, Saint-Lonard
• Aug. 26 March Bonichoix Saint-Quentin,145 Canada Rd., Saint-Quentin
• Aug.25 and 26 between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Hotel Dieu Saint-Joseph de Saint-QuentinHospital,21 Canada Rd., Saint-Quentin

Campbellton region, Zone 5:

• Aug.28 between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Irving,173 Renfrew St., Dalhousie
• Aug. 27 between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Brasserie 1026 Bar & Grill,157 Water St., Campbellton
• Aug.24 Sport Expert,100 Roseberry St., Campbellton
• Aug. 24 between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. -Inch Aaran Park, 125 Inch Arran Ave., Dalhousie
• Aug.24 between 9:30 a.m. to noon Sugarloaf Mall,312 Val D'amour Rd., Campbellton
• Aug.24 at 8:30 a.m. Circle K Irving,143 Val D'Amour Rd., Campbellton

Bathurst region, Zone 6:

• Aug.30 between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Sobeys,1125 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst
• Aug.28 between 10 a.m. and noon Pur & Simple,930 St. Anne St., Bathurst
• Aug.27 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. picerie Frenette,625 Principale Rd., Beresford
• Aug.26 between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Joey's Pub & Eatery,2050 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst
• Aug.24 between noon and 4 p.m. Marshall,700 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst
• Aug.24 between noon and 4 p.m. Urban Behavior,1300 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst
• Aug. 23 Camping Colibri,913 Acadiens Blv., Route 11, Bertrand
• Aug.23 between 9 a.m. and noon Dollorama,445 St. Pierre Blv., Caraquet
• Aug.23 Walmart,900 St. Anne St., Bathurst
• Aug.22, 28, 29 between 10 a.m. and noon Gymnasia,1935 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst
• Aug.27 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Walmart,900 St. Anne St., Bathurst
• Aug. 26 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Joey's Pub & Eatery,2050 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst
• Aug.24 between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Bathurst Mall,1300 St-Pierre Rd., Bathurst
• Aug.24 between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Dixie Lee Restaurant,1224 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst
• Aug. 24 between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Marshall's,700 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst
• Aug.24 between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Aubainerie Bathurst,1300 St. Peter Ave., Bathurst

Miramichi region, Zone 7:

• Aug.22 between 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Gallan's Miramichi River Tubing,48 Kersey Lane, Doyles Brook

The full list of possible exposuresis updated regularly and is available on the government's website.

What to do if you have a symptom

People concerned they might have COVID-19 cantake 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.