Islanders advised to avoid travel to N.B. COVID-19 hot zones

Islanders are being asked to avoid travel to COVID-19 hotspots in New Brunswick as cases in that province continue to rise.

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said in a written release that all P.E.I residents, regardless of vaccination status, should refrain from visiting circuit-breaker zones in N.B. unless it is for essential purposes.

"We need to do our part to protect the residents of our province, and support our friends and neighbours in New Brunswick, and avoid unnecessary travel to these areas for at least the next two weeks," Morrison said.

Several regions in New Brunswick will be operating under circuit-breaker restrictions for 14 days starting Friday at 6 p.m.

Travel to those regions is prohibited except for essential reasons such as work, health services, child custody, childcare, post-secondary education or travel to events where proof of vaccination is required.

The areas impacted by the circuit breaker are Zone 1 in the Moncton region, as far north as and including Sainte-Anne-de-Kent; the northern portion of Zone 3 including Deerville and Florenceville-Bristol; and all of Zone 4, the Edmundston region.

Cases in New Brunswick continue to rise. On Thursday, Vitalit Health Network said all of its hospitals and facilities will be placed under red alert as of Oct. 12 in response to the surge.

Vitalit operates health-care facilities innortheastern and southeastern regions of the province, including theDr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton.

As a result of the move, health-care services deemed non-essential such as non-urgent imaging services and elective surgeries will be reduced or put temporarily on hold.

Morrison said anyone traveling to the circuit-breaker regions for essential purposes should be fully vaccinated, follow local public health measures and testing guidance when returning to P.E.I.