FREDERICTON (GNB) – A section of Zone 4 (Edmundston region), including Edmundston and the upper Madawaska region will go into lockdown effective at midnight tonight under the province’s mandatory order.

Saint-Léonard, Grand Falls, Drummond, New Denmark and Four Falls will remain under the Red level. The Saint-Quentin and Kedgwick regions will remain in the Yellow level.

Public Health made the recommendation to the all-party cabinet committee on COVID-19 and to cabinet based on the confirmed presence of the more contagious variants of COVID-19 along with the possibility of community transmission.

“I know going back into lockdown will be difficult for residents of Zone 4 but this a necessary action to get the situation under control,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard.

“It’s not business as usual anymore as we are treating every COVID-19 case as if it is a variant of concern,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health.

Under lockdown, people must stay within their single-household bubble and there is to be no unnecessary travel in and out of the lockdown area. Schools in the lockdown area will move to online learning only. The full list of the guidelines under lockdown is available online.

One death

Public Health confirmed today that an individual between 70 and 79 in Zone 4 (Edmundston region) has died as a result of COVID-19. This brings the total number of COVID-related deaths in the province to 33.

“Every person who loses their life to this virus is a tragedy,” Shephard said. “My thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of this person.”

“I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of this individual,” Russell said. “We will all mourn with them and share in their loss and deep sorrow.”

19 new cases

Public Health reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 today.

The one case in Zone 1 (Moncton region) is an individual 20-29. This case is under investigation.

The one case in Zone 2 (Saint John region) is an individual 19 and under. This case is travel related.

The two cases in Zone 3 (Fredericton region) are as follows:

• two people 30-39. Both cases are travel related.

The 15 cases in Zone 4 (Edmundston region) are as follows:

• three people 19 and under;
• two people 20-29;
• two people 40-49;
• three people 50-59;
• four people 60-69; and
• an individual 70-79.

Twelve of the 15 cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases and the other three are under investigation.

The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 1,713. Since yesterday, 10 people have recovered for a total of 1,531 recoveries. There have been 33 deaths, and the number of active cases is 149. Twenty patients are hospitalized, including 13 in an intensive care unit. Yesterday, 1,386 tests were conducted for a total of 266,621.

Update on high schools

Out of an abundance of caution, full-time in-person learning for all high schools in the province will be delayed. This will allow more time to conduct contact tracing and ensure outbreaks are under control.

Cabinet and the all-party cabinet committee on COVID-19 will revisit this decision based on the advice of Public Health during the week of April 26.

Confirmed cases at École Saint-Jacques

Two positive cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at École Saint-Jacques, in Saint-Jacques, and the school community has been notified.

The Halte Scolaire Saint-Jacques, in Saint-Jacques, a child-care facility located within the school, will also be closed on April 12 and 13.

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.

Exposure notification

Public Health follows a standard process when addressing instances where the public may have been exposed to a case of COVID-19. In cases where record-keeping is able to identify anyone who may have been exposed, officials contact these individuals directly and do not issue a separate announcement. In cases where officials cannot be certain of exactly who may have been exposed to the virus in a given location, Public Health issues an announcement to alert those who could have been affected and provides instructions.

Public Health has identified a potential public exposure to the virus at the following locations in Saint John:

• Service New Brunswick, 15 King Square North, on Thursday, April 8 between 1:15 p.m. and 2 p.m.
• McAllister Place, 519 Westmorland Rd., on Friday, April 9 between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. and Thursday, April 8 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.