No link between Campbellton, Moncton outbreaks found so far
13 cases in region including province's first at a school since they reopened in September
Public Health officials say there's no indication of a link between 13 cases of COVID-19 in the Campbellton region, including the province's first case at a school, and a larger outbreak in the Moncton region at a special care home.
Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province's chief medical officer of health, said contact tracing is still underway.
Russell said one of the 13 cases is travel-related.
The first case was announced Thursday, while 12 more were confirmed Friday.
Sugarloaf Senior High School principal Michael O'Toole reported a positive case in a message to parents and guardians posted on the school's Facebook page Thursday at 9:30 p.m.
It is the first reported school-related case of COVID-19 since New Brunswick schools reopened in September.
Classes at the school were cancelled for Friday.
None of the 13 cases in the region are people under the age of 20.
'Orange' phase
Russell and Premier Blaine Higgs announced both the Campbellton region and the Moncton region, where there are 21 active cases, will revert to the orange phase as of midnight.
Under that phase, daycares and kindergarten to Grade 12 schools can remain open under strict guidance, with virtual learning to be used for at-risk populations. Day camps are allowed to operate.
The school's closure on Friday allowed time for cleaning and contact tracing, O'Toole said.
It will also be closed Oct. 13 and Oct. 14 to give teachers time to prepare to provide full-time online learning for students from Quebec who normally attend the school.
O'Toole told parents and guardians the school is working with Public Health to identify any students and school staff who may have been exposed to the coronavirus.
"We understand you may feel anxious over the coming days," O'Toole said. "Public Health officials will contact you if your child has been in close contact with the confirmed case and will tell you if your child needs to self-isolate."
He advised if there is no contact by Public Health, then students can continue to attend school.
"It is natural to want to know if your child may have been exposed to the virus. Public Health officials will inform those who are at risk of the next steps."
O'Toole said anyone experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 should call Tele-Care 811 or register them online for a test.
O'Toole said details and names won't be released to protect the privacy of students and school personnel. The principal asked that anyone involved be treated with kindness and respect, in person and on social media.
"Children and young people look to the adults in their lives to guide them on how to react to worrying and stressful events."
Anglophone District North referred all questions about the case to Public Health and the Department of Education.
As a result of the government's decision to suspend the "bubble" with Quebec's Avignon region — which allowed non-essential day trips by residents of Listuguj First Nation and Pointe-à-la-Croix into New Brunswick — about 103 students who attended Sugarloaf Senior High School and three students who attend the French high school will now be on remote learning.
Students in kindergarten to Grade 8 can continue to cross the border to attend school.
Listuguj high school students can't attend
O'Toole said the school, district and Listuguj First Nation are working out the details of delivering technology devices and personal items.
"These details will be communicated as soon as they are available."
Chief Darcy Gray said this decision is going to be hard on young people from the Listuguj community who, in a normal year, play sports, are involved in clubs and committees and hang out on the weekends with their friends from high school.
"And all of that has been disrupted through COVID, through the bridge restrictions that have been in place for months. And school was providing a little bit of normalcy again — so just as we were getting into a good rhythm."
Listuguj had expected the bubble to be closed because of rising case numbers in Quebec, but he didn't expect it to happen that quickly, adding it was hard to understand the reasoning at the time.
"For us, it's been a bit of a roller-coaster in dealing with this."
Gray said the First Nation plans to use a training centre in the community that he thinks can accommodate the students because of the split schedules that will have 50 or so students attending on alternating days.
Mayor fears repercussions
Campbellton Mayor Stephanie Anglehart Paulin said she is worried about her city and the heath region, Zone 5, if there are more cases.
"We're a small community. We've only got we've only got 25,000 in a 30-kilometre radius. These kids have been everywhere. You know, the principal at the school is the president of our Campbellton Tigers. So does that affect them?
"I feel the same way I did back in June when the manoir had their outbreak. It's a weird feeling."
Last spring, two residents of the Manoir-de-la-Valée in Atholville died during an outbreak of COVID-19 in that home.
"So for me, it's very serious. I can't have COVID in my community for any of my residents because it's deadly."
Anglehart Paulin said she hopes everyone will stick together and keep doing their part to protect themselves. She also worries how Zone 5 will be treated by the rest of the province once again and the repercussions of it.
With files from Shane Magee