N.B. COVID-19 roundup: 2 deaths, hospitalizations and ICU cases continue to climb

Two more New Brunswickers with COVID-19 have died, hospitalizations and ICU cases have continued to climb over the past three days, along with the seven-day averages, the dashboard shows.

The latest deaths were both people from the Saint John region, Zone 2 — one in their 70s and the other in their 80s.

There are 100 people in hospital, an increase of eight from Friday, including 46 who were admitted for COVID-19 and 54 who were initially admitted for something else when they tested positive for the virus.

Nine people require intensive care, up one, and four of them are on ventilators.

The seven-day average of COVID-related hospitalizations jumped to 91 Monday from 89 on Friday, according to the dashboard.

The seven-day average of people requiring intensive care, which had remained steady for four days, also increased to six from four.

New Brunswick is set to lift all COVID restrictions, including mask mandates and gathering limits, next Monday, when the emergency order ends.

When the province announced the pending changes on Feb. 24, 77 people were hospitalized, including five in intensive care.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, said at the time that modelling shows "we will probably see some increases" in cases and hospitalizations "here and there" as the restrictions get lifted, but they won't be "overwhelming."

Russell wouldn't say whether any specific hospitalization or case rates would spark a return of restrictions.

"Given information we have today, we can only talk about what's happening right now," she had said.

Three people aged 19 or under are among those hospitalized. There are also five people in their 20s, six in their 30s, seven in their 40s, six in their 50s, 19 in their 60s, 22 in their 70s, 17 in their 80s, and six in their 90s.

Of those in ICU, one is in their 40s, five are in their 60s and three are in their 70s.

Across the province, 580 health-care workers are now off the job, isolating after testing positive for COVID-19, 39 more than on Friday. These include 301 with Horizon Health Network, 191 with Vitalité Health Network, and 88 with Extra-Mural and Ambulance New Brunswick.

Hospital occupancy decreased to 90 per cent from 92 per cent, while ICU occupancy remained unchanged at 69 per cent.

Public Health confirmed 1,133 new cases of COVID-19 between Saturday and Monday through lab-based PCR tests, putting the active case count at 4,061, an increase of 169.

An additional 1,277 people self-reported testing positive on rapid tests.

Of the PCR-confirmed cases, 61 are aged nine and under and 65 are aged 10 to 19.

The regional breakdown of the PCR-confirmed cases includes:

Moncton region, Zone 1

• 325 new cases and 1,332 active cases

Saint John region, Zone 2

• 269 new cases and 916 active cases

Fredericton region, Zone 3

• 265 new cases and 914 active cases

Edmundston region, Zone 4

• 68 new cases and 218 active cases

Campbellton region, Zone 5

• 28 new cases and 138 active cases

Bathurst region, Zone 6

• 118 new cases and 368 active cases

Miramichi region, Zone 7

• 60 new cases and 175 active cases

As of Monday, 50.4 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have received their COVID-19 vaccine booster dose, up from 50.3 per cent on Friday, 87.2 per cent have received two vaccine doses, unchanged, and 92.9 per cent have received one dose, also unchanged.

A total of 742,089 PCR tests have been conducted to date, including 3,647 between Saturday and Monday.

New Brunswick has had 40,070 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, with 35,696 recoveries so far and 311 COVID-related deaths.

Atlantic COVID roundup

Prince Edward Island has surpassed New Brunswick for total active cases of COVID-19. P.E.I. reported a total of 4,241 active cases Monday, with 1,327 new cases since the last update on Friday. Two people are in hospital because of COVID-19, and seven others were admitted for other reasons and later tested positive.

Newfoundland and Labrador reported two more COVID-related deaths over the weekend and hospitalizations jumped Monday to their highest point in nearly a month. There are now 25 people hospitalized due to because of the virus, five of them in critical care. A total of 1,244 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed since Friday, putting the province's active case count at 3,216.

Nova Scotia, in its last report on Friday, announced four deaths related to COVID-19 and 45 people in designated COVID-19 hospital units, including 13 in intensive care. There were 294 new lab-confirmed cases, for an active case count of 2,650.

Cruise ship passengers, crew must be fully vaccinated

All cruise ship passengers and crew will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 when ships begin docking at Port Saint John this spring.

It's part of new COVID-19 measures announced by the federal government Monday for the return of cruise ships to Canadian waters next month for the 2022 season.

Passengers will need to take a COVID-19 molecular test within 72 hours before they board or take an antigen test within one day of boarding, said federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra.

The same rule applies to passengers disembarking from a cruise ship in Canada.

Cruise ship operators will be required to inspect proof of vaccination and pre-boarding test results, test suspected cases, isolate positive cases, test close contacts of positive cases, said Alghabra.

They will also be required to report symptomatic or positive passengers or crew to Transport Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the port, and the local public health unit.

Symptomatic or positive passengers can expect to be isolated on board the ship and won't be able to take part in communal activities.

At the end of their cruise, it will be the cruise line's responsibility to arrange for COVID-19-safe isolation accommodations.

The Canada Border Services Agency will ensure the "robust" rules are upheld, said Alghabra.

The framework was developed with federal, provincial and local public health agencies, the U.S. government and the cruise industry, he said.

We are also adjusting our travel advice for Canadians taking cruises and continue to advise travellers to proceed with caution.- Omar Alghabra, federal transport minister

No cruise ships have stopped in Saint John since 2020, when the pandemic restricted travel. 

The first ship of the season is scheduled for May 4, when the Pearl Mist will sail into the harbour.

A total of 69 cruise ships are expected.

The cruise ship industry represents more than $4 billion annually for the country's economy, Alghabra noted. It supports approximately 30,000 jobs.

"We are also adjusting our travel advice for Canadians taking cruises and continue to advise travellers to proceed with caution," he said.

COVID-19 can spread easily between people in close quarters, and the chance of being infected with COVID-19 on cruise ships is "very high, even if you have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series," the federal government's website states.

Anyone who is not fully vaccinated against COVID and those at higher risk for developing severe disease or outcomes from COVID "should avoid cruise ship travel."

If people are on a cruise outside of Canada and an outbreak occurs, they could be subject to quarantine procedures onboard the ship or in a foreign country, and "the range of consular services available on cruise ships may be significantly restricted by local authorities, especially in situations of quarantine," the government warns.

Any medical care could be "very expensive" and people might have to pay immediately in cash.

"The Government of Canada won't pay your medical bills, including COVID-19-related expenses or medical evacuation."

Those who test positive while abroad must wait at least 10 days after they took their test before entering Canada. "You shouldn't depend on the Government of Canada for assistance to change your travel plans."

Infected Canadians won't be turned away at a land border, but may face fines of up to $5,000 for defying the rules.

Businesses face difficult decisions

New Brunswick businesses can choose to keep COVID-19 mandates in place after the province lifts all restrictions next week, but some restaurant owners say making that decision is not so simple.

Mike Babineau, the president of Downtown Fredericton Inc., and owner of several restaurants in the city, says it's impossible to appease everyone and it's a highly charged environment, with some people seeing calls in either direction as a personal affront. 

Babineau says they're doing their best to make everyone feel comfortable.

"We're in the customer service business. So if somebody comes in that would like a little bit more space, or would like our server to put a mask on or, you know, any of the above, we're going to do what we can to please these customers," he said.

"We're a safe place to be. We want our customers to come back and see us. And so far, by the numbers, they are coming out. So I think we're in a good spot."

The province is set to lift all COVID restrictions, including mask mandates and gathering limits, on March 14, when the emergency order ends.

Babineau says he's decided to follow Public Health's lead, just as he's done throughout the pandemic.

That means his restaurants no longer check customers' vaccine status, and they'll move ahead with lifting mask requirements on March 14.

CBSA resumes normal service at 2 N.B. airports

The Canada Border Services Agency has resumed normal service hours at two New Brunswick airports, as of Monday.

CBSA services at the Fredericton International Airport and Saint John Airport are once again available between 8 a.m. and midnight, Monday through Sunday.

Services at these airports have been reduced since July 2020 as a COVID-19 related measure.

The CBSA was operating only from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday at the Fredericton airport, and from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., seven days a week at the Saint John airport.

Normal service has also resumed at the Charlottetown Airport on Prince Edward Island — 8 a.m. until midnight, Monday through Sunday.