New Brunswick reported 15 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday. Two of those cases are in Zone 1, both traced to previously confirmed cases.
Just two of the new cases in the province have yet to be traced and are under investigation.
At Friday’s briefing on COVID-19 Chief Medical Officer of Health Jennifer Russell participated from home, due to a school community case notice in Fredericton.
“Students, staff and household members of a school community were asked to self isolate for 72 hours,” Russell said Friday. “In this particular situation, it’s unlikely that I have contracted COVID-19, but I’m following public health advice right now. It is vital that everyone follows public health guidance and advice, and that includes myself, the Chief Medical Officer of health.”
And Russell had worse news to share on Friday. The province confirmed another death of a New Brunswicker from a rare post vaccine complication associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The person who died was in their 50s, and received their first dose of AstraZeneca on April 11, explained Russell. 17 days later the person went to hospital with symptoms of a blood clot.
“This is the second death from a vaccine induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia event, VITT, reported in New Brunswick,” said Russell. “Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia, with unusual blood clots and low platelets, is a very rare side effect of this vaccine. And I do offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of this individual.”
Despite the news of a second death related to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the province also announced Friday that the vaccine would continue to be available as a second shot to those 55 or over who have already received one dose of it, at least 8 weeks ago. Second doses of other vaccines are still being delayed for at least 16 weeks, in an effort to get more first doses administered.
Since last Sunday’s report, over 64,000 new doses of a COVID-19 vaccine were administered in New Brunswick. That’s the best week on record since the vaccination rollout started. 49.1% of the New Brunswick population have now received at least one dose.
The next Vitalité vaccination clinic in Sackville is at the Civic Centre on Wednesday May 26th. Vitalité Health says there are still spots available. You can register here.
You can also register for a vaccination appointment at the Corner Drug Store website, and by calling Jean Coutu.
Anyone born in 2003 or earlier now qualifies for a COVID-19 vaccine in New Brunswick.
PUBLIC EXPOSURE NOTICES
Over the weekend the province issued several public exposure notices in the Fredericton area, and there was another public exposure notice on a flight coming into Moncton issued Sunday.
Public Health says a traveller on Air Canada Flight 8946 from Toronto to Moncton on May 20 may have been infectious on the airplane.
Anyone can request a test based on a potential public exposure advisory without being required to isolate for 14 days.
AMHERST CASES AND OUTBREAK IN NEWFOUNDLAND
Five new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Cumberland County since Friday. There are now 12 active cases in the county, six having been reported in the past week.
It’s probable some of those recent cases are in the Amherst area, since on Saturday evening the Nova Scotia Health Authority published notices of potential public exposures for the Amherst Kent Building Supplies and Amherst Walmart. The exposures happened over various times from May 13 to 19.
A spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Health Authority says the locations are “considered low risk.” People who were at these location during the times specified are encouraged to get tested, but no isolation is required, unless of course they have symptoms.
Here’s the list of recent potential public exposures in Amherst:
Kent Building Supplies on South Albion Street:
Wednesday May 19, 8:30am-2:30pm
Tuesday May 18, 8am-5:30pm
Monday May 17, 8:30am-4:30pm
Saturday May 15, 8am-5:45pm
Walmart on Robert Angus Drive:
Saturday May 15, 11:45am-8:45pm
Thursday May 13, 9:45am-5:45pm
Pharmasave on Robert Angus Drive:
Monday May 10, 2:45pm to 4:15pm
The active case count continues to drop in Nova Scotia, sitting at 943 active cases as of Sunday afternoon. 74 new cases were reported on Sunday.
Over in PEI, that province announced one new travel-related case on Friday, but no others over the weekend. PEI currently has 15 active cases of COVID-19.
Newfoundland is staring down the barrel of another outbreak. The province announced 23 new cases on Sunday. On Friday, the province moved one area in its central health region into what it calls Alert Level 4, which is comparable to New Brunswick’s orange phase of restrictions. The region has a cluster of 24 cases of unknown origin, and Newfoundland public health is continuing to investigate.
