FREDERICTON – Public Health officials in New Brunswick reported another 20 cases of COVID-19 in the province Sunday, just hours after one of the hardest areas in the region began a 14-day lockout.
Nine of the new cases are in the newly locked Edmundston area, which now has 144 of the 334 active cases in the region.
Ten of the new cases are in the Moncton area and one new case is in the Miramichi area.
Health officials say the Edmundston lock is needed to prevent an increase in daily infections that they fear are getting out of control.
To date, unnecessary travel has been prohibited in and out of the area, which crosses the Bas-St-Laurent area of Maine and Quebec.
The order will also force the closure of non-essential businesses, schools and public places, including outdoor ice rinks and ski hills.
Departmental officials say they will assess the situation in the area every seven days, and the cabinet can extend the lockout if necessary.
New Brunswick has had 1,124 cases of COVID-19 and 13 associated deaths since the outbreak began.
Five are in the hospital, including two in intensive care.
“We will be more confident in our decisions, and are more likely to circumvent zone restrictions, if more New Brunswickers, in all health zones, have test symptoms,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. Sunday in a statement.
The Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton regions are at the red stage of the region’s pandemic recovery plan, with the rest of the province at the orange level.
A small number of schools in the province are also poised to move to remote learning amid the rise in local diseases.
Monday will be an operational response day at Andover Primary School, Perth-Andover Primary School and Southern Victoria High School in Perth-Andover, as well as the Donald Fraser Memorial School and Tobique Valley High School in Rock Plaster.
Students in these schools will learn from home starting Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on January 24, 2021.