N.B. COVID-19 roundup: 3 more deaths, Campbellton health region had highest death rate in Canada

New Brunswick recorded three more COVID-related deaths Monday, and the Campbellton health region had the highest COVID-19 death rate in Canada per 100,000 people in the past two weeks, federal data shows.

The province had the fourth highest COVID death rate in the country.

A person 40 to 49 in the Moncton region, Zone 1, and two people 80 to 89one in the Edmundston region, Zone 4,and one in the Campbellton region, Zone 5, have died as a result of COVID-19, Public Health announced.

Therateof deaths related to COVID-19 in Zone 5 in the 14 days up to Oct. 24 was 35.7 per 100,000, according to Health Canada statistics.

That's more than double the rate in thesecond-highest health region, Saskatchewan's Far North, which was13.2 per 100,000.

Alberta's Central North health region rankedthird in Canada at 11.3 per 100,000, while Saskatchewan's North health region was fourth with a rate of 10.7 per 100,000.

The national rate was 1.4 deaths per 100,000 people.

Nine people in the Campbellton regiondied during the 14days up to Oct. 24, including two in their 40s, three in their 70s and four in their 80s.

Across New Brunswick, 36 peopledied during that two-week period.

"It's quite worrisome," said Campbellton Mayor Ian Comeau.

"For those of you that don't believe, [who think] that this is a hoax, it's no longer a joke."

He noted that in addition to the deaths, "anumber" of the COVID-19 patientsin intensive care havebeen in their 40s. "That's why Public Health was quite concerned and, you know, they wanted to put a stop to it. And that's why they put our zone into a circuit breaker for a number of weeks."

Last Friday, a circuit breaker wasexpandedto include all of Zone 5and extended for 14 days to address the high number of COVID-19 transmissions in the Campbelltonregion. It previously included only the communities of Menneval, Whites BrookandSt-Jean-Baptiste in Zone 5.

A circuit breaker in other regions was extended by at least seven days,until Public Health determines the situation is more stable. Those regions include:include:Zone 1 (Moncton region) as far north as and including Sainte-Anne-de-Kent and including Havelock in Zone 2; the northern portion of Zone 3 from and including Deerville and Florenceville-Bristol, but excluding Hayesville and Parker Ridge; and all of Zone 4 (Edmundston region).

People who live in the circuit breakerareas must not have gatherings at private homes inside or outside with anyone who does not live at that home, with a few exceptions.

Travel to or from circuit breaker regions is restricted, except for those who must travel for essential reasons, including work, health services, child custody, childcare or post-secondary education, or travel to events where proof of vaccination is required, the province'scircuit breaker websitestates.

There is a COVID-19outbreak at theCampbellton Regional Hospital. Ithas resulted in 17 positive cases among patients, four of whom died,and 37 infections among staff, as of last Friday.

VitalitHealth Network spokesperson Thomas Lizotte declined Monday to say how manynew cases or deaths have occurredsince then.

"All new cases or people who died of COVID-19 are made public by [the Department of Health]," he said in an emailed statement.

The people are going to have to do their part of the work if we want to see a Christmas, a Christmas with their families, with their friends.- Ian Comeau, Campbellton mayor

The hospital has 11 COVID patients, including three in ICU, Lizotte said.

Twenty hospital employees are off work, either because they have tested positive or because they are isolating after being identified as a close contact of a positive case, he said.

The outbreak was first reported on Oct. 6.

The mayor said he was encouraged to see no new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the Campbellton region on Monday.

"But the people are going to have to do their part of the work if we want to see a Christmas, a Christmas with their families, with their friends," Comeau said.

"We've been in an outbreak before and we've come out of it as a region, as a city together. And that's the message that I've been trying to really relay out there to our citizens that, you know, we have to do this together."

The province's death rate was4.3 per 100,000 for the two weeks up toOct. 22, thefederal figures show.

The Northwest Territories ranked the highest at 6.6, followed by Saskatchewan at 6and Alberta at 4.4.

New Brunswickhas now had 111 deaths since the pandemic began. Sixty-five of those have occurred since July 30, when the governmentlifted the mandatory order and removed all restrictions before reaching its vaccination target.

This month alone, the virus has claimed 52 lives. Out of the 25 days, only three have not seen deaths reported.

New Brunswickmarkedthehighest death toll in Atlantic Canadalast week.

Nova Scotia has recorded 99 deaths, as of Monday. Newfoundland and Labrador hashad 15 deaths, while Prince Edward Island has had none.

22 new cases, 57 recoveries

Public Health reported 22 new cases of COVID-19 Monday, the lowest daily increase since Sept. 9. With the 57 recoveries reported, the active case count dropped to 589.

Thirty-nine people are hospitalized because of the virus,down from 41 Sunday, including 14in intensive care, up from 11.

Of those in hospital,20 are unvaccinated, three are partially vaccinated and 16 are fully vaccinated.

Of those in ICU,11are unvaccinated, twoare partially vaccinated and one is fully vaccinated.

A total of 83.9 per centof New Brunswickersaged 12 and older are now fully vaccinated, up from 83.7 on Sunday, while 92.2per cent have received at least one dose, up from92.1.

Breakdown of new cases

The 22 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed Monday are spread across five health zones.

Of the new cases, 10 or 45.5 per cent are unvaccinated, one or 4.5 per cent are partially vaccinated, and 11 or 50 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Here is a breakdown:

Moncton region, Zone 1, four cases:

• A person 19 orunder
• A person 30 to 39
• A person 50 to 59
• A person 60 to 69

All four cases are under investigation.

Saint John region, Zone 2,four cases:

• Two people 19 orunder
• A person 30 to 39
• A person 40 to 49

Three cases are under investigation and the otheris a contact of a previously confirmed case.

Fredericton region, Zone 3, five cases:

• A person 19 orunder
• A person 20 to 29
• A person 30 to 39
• A person 60 to 69
• A person 70 to 79

All five cases are under investigation.

Edmundston region, Zone 4, eightcases:

• A person 19 or under
• A person 30 to 39
• Two people 50 to 59
• Four people 60 to 69

Seven of thecases are under investigation, while the other is a contact of a previously confirmed case.

Bathurst region, Zone 6, one case:

• Aperson 30 to 39

This case is under investigation.

New Brunswick has had6,185 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, with 5,484 recoveries so far.

A total of518,548 lab tests have been conducted to date, including 1,188 on Sunday.

Expanded rapid test kitpickup begins

Rapid testkits are now available for pick up at20 additional mobile Horizon Health Network sites in fourhealth zones, with each siteopen one day a week from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., oruntil the daily supply has been given out.

A Horizon van will be in the parking lots of the locations below, offering drive-thru service. People should drive directly up to the van to pick up their kits, Horizon said.

Moncton region, Zone 1

• Monday:Rexton Curling Club, 49 Centennial West Ave., Rexton
• Tuesday:Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre, 182 Main St., Sackville
• Wednesday:Parking Lot beside Victoria Park (Address TBD), Port Elgin
• Thursday:Kiwanis Community Centre, 47 Legion St., Hillsborough
• Friday:Petitcodiac Arena, 43 Corey Ave., Petitcodiac

Saint John region, Zone 2

• Monday:Princess Louise Park, Perry Street, Sussex
• Tuesday:Border Area Community Arena, 163 King St.,St. Stephen
• Wednesday:Brundage Point River Centre, 1 Ferry Rd.,Grand Bay
• Thursday:Hampton Community Centre, 808 Main St.,Hampton
• Friday:Day Adventure Centre, 17 Adventure Lane,St. George

Fredericton region, Zone 3

• Monday:Atlantic Cinemas, 115 Everett St.,Woodstock
• Tuesday:Horizon's Queens North Community Health Centre, 1100 Pleasant Dr., Minto
• Wednesday:Horizon's Tobique Valley Community Health Centre, 120 Main St., Plaster Rock
• Thursday:Perth-Andover Baptist Church, 194 Barrett St, Perth-Andover
• Friday:Horizon's Central Miramichi Community Health Centre, 11 Prospect St., Doaktown

Miramichi region, Zone 7

• Monday:Former Kerr's Construction site in Chatham, 365 Wellington St., Miramichi
• Tuesday:Baie-Sainte-Anne Community Centre, 5486 Route 117, Baie-Sainte-Anne
• Wednesday:Renous Rec Centre, 2 Young Lane, Blackville
• Thursday:Royal Canadian Legion Nguac, 916 Rue Principale, Neguac
• Friday:Rogersville Town Hall, 10989 rue Principale, Rogersville

Horizon's "hub" rapid test pickup sites will be open Monday throughFriday from 1 p.m. until6 p.m., or until the daily supply has been given out. A full list of the sites can be foundhere.

The VitalitHealth Network's pickup sites are mostly open Monday through Friday from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m., with a couple of exceptions. A full list of Vitalit's pickup sites and hours of operation can be foundhere.

The rapid testing program is for people age two and older, Public Health has said.

Most kitscontainfive rapid tests to be used over 10 days. Those age16 and under must be accompanied by an adult when picking up kits.

Moncton Hospital geriatric unit outbreak update

Another round of COVID-19 testing was conducted Monday at theMoncton Hospital's geriatric unit and if the results come backnegative, the outbreak could be declared over on Friday, said executive directorChrista Wheeler-Thorne.

No new positive cases have been detected on the unit (5200) since Oct. 1, she said.

A total of six patients and three staff members have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the unit outbreak was declared on Sept. 27, Wheeler-Thorne said.

"The situation on Unit 5200 is not linked to the more recent outbreaks on Units 4200 (oncology) and 5600 (general surgery)," she saidin an emailed statement.

Twenty-fivecases have been confirmed in the other two units 14 patients and 11 staff.

New cases at 10 schools, 3 daycares

Public Health has identified 17 new cases of COVID-19 at 10 schools since Friday, including three schools that did not previously have cases, the COVID-19 dashboard shows.

The three newly impacted schools include:Lou MacNarin School in the Moncton region, Zone 1, and St. Stephen Middle School and Centre scolaire Samuel-de-Champlain, both in the Saint John region, Zone 2.

A new case or cases have also been confirmed atForest Glen School,Moncton High Schoolandcole Sainte-Thrse, all in the Moncton region, Zone 1,St. Stephen High School andForest Hills School, both in the Saint John region, Zone 2,Le Galion des Appalaches, in the Campbellton region, Zone 5 andcole la Ruche, in the Bathurst region, Zone 6.

Thirty-eight schools are currently impacted.

There have been 392 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at 108 schools since the beginning of the school year.

A case has been confirmed at Little Blessings Daycare and Preschool in the Saint John region, Zone 2, Public Health said in a news release.

New positive cases have also been confirmed at Garderie Power Play Daycare in the Moncton region, Zone 1, and Halte scolaire la Ribambelle en Folie Lte in the Edmundston region, Zone 4. The number of cases was not provided.

People who have been in close contact with a confirmed case will be notified directly by Public Health or the facility for contact tracing, Public Health said.

Since Sept. 7, 58 early learning and child-care facilities have had confirmed cases of COVID-19. The total number of cases has not been released.

Atlantic COVID roundup

Nova Scotia reported one new COVID-related death and a three-day total of 57 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the active caseload to 152.Eleven people are in hospital because of the virus, including two in intensive care.

Newfoundland and Labradorreported 36 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday.The province has 90 active cases and one person is hospitalized.

Prince Edward Island has no new cases and three active cases, as of Monday.

Public exposure notices

Public Healthadded several new public exposure notices across four health zones Monday, including one for a mall in Zone 1.

For the full list of new and previous public exposure notices, please visit theGovernment of New Brunswick's website.

Public Health recommends that people who have been at a possible public exposure site and are not fully vaccinated get a COVID test, even if they don't have symptoms. They can book an appointment online or call Tele-Care 811.

If they do have symptoms, they must isolate while they await their results.

For people who are fully vaccinated, Public Health recommends they monitor for symptoms for 14 days after the possible exposure and get a COVID test if symptoms develop.

Anyone who frequented the locations at the specified dates and times should also avoid visiting settings with vulnerable populations, such as nursing homes, correctional facilities and shelters, for the next 14 days.

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.