N.B. COVID-19 roundup: 11 new cases reported Tuesday

Public Health reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, spread over four health regions.

There are now 44 active cases of the disease in New Brunswick, which entered the restriction-free green phase on Saturday and then recorded 18 new cases over Saturday and Sunday. The province didn't release any figures on Monday, a holiday.

The cases reported Tuesday break down this way:

Six cases in Moncton region, Zone 1 

• three people 20 to 29

• an individual 30 to 39

• two people 40 to 49

Of these, five cases are under investigation and one is travel-related.

Three cases in the Fredericton region, Zone 3:

• two people 19 and under

• an individual 40 to 49

All three cases are travel-related.

One case in the Edmundston region, Zone 4 

•  an individual 50 to 59 with a travel-related case

One case in the Campbellton region, Zone 5

• an individual 20 to 29 with a case that's under investigation

The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is now 2,394 since the start of the pandemic.

The dashboard shows 68.1 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are fully vaccinated. Some 570,876 people have received a first dose of vaccine, or 82.3 per cent of the eligible population.

A total of 382,554 COVID-19 tests have been done.

Employers confused, employees anxious with move to green

WorkSafeNB president and CEO Doug Jones says employers and employees have been reaching out with questions and concerns about New Brunswick's move to green on Friday.

The move to green means there are no COVID-19 regulations that businesses must absolutely follow under a mandatory order, as there were before.

"Employers are wondering how they can assess the risk in their workplace," he said.

When there was a mandatory order, every business "had to paint with the same brush," said Jones. The guidelines were widely known because every business had to make sure to follow them.  

When it comes to employees, Jones said some are just as anxious as they were at the beginning of the pandemic, and wondering if they can refuse to work over lack of safety in their workplace.

"They have questions around, 'I don't know if my workplace is safe or not,'" he said.

"But is there a factual reason for that risk? Does it really exist?"

Figuring this out won't be easy.

Risk depends on percentage of vaccinated staff

Jones said some things, such as access to hand sanitizer and having an adequate ventilation system in the workplace, will remain mandatory under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

But assessing the risk at a workplace depends on the number of employees who haven't been vaccinated.

"Employers can ask employees if they are vaccinated. They will need this information to determine the level of risk," said Jones. "The question would become, are employees obliged to tell you?"

They are not obliged but WorkSafe encourages them to share

What should employees do if they feel at risk?

The first thing to do is notify their employer, Jones said.

"If the company has an occupational health and safety committee, they should address it with them."

Jones said employers should understand the employees' concerns.

But if there is a continuing conflict, they can reach out to WorkSafeNB and its health and safety officers will address the employees' concerns.   

New possible public exposures

Public Health has identified 10 new possible exposures of COVID-19, including one new flight exposure notification:.

New flight exposure notices

• July 26 – WestJet Flight 3404 – from Toronto to Fredericton, departed at 4 p.m.

Previously reported flight exposure notices

• July 25 – Air Canada Flight 8904 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 7:54 p.m.
• July 25 – Air Canada Flight 7546 – from Toronto to Fredericton, departed at 2:27 p.m.
• July 19 – WestJet Flight 3461 – from Ottawa to Toronto, departed at 10:00 a.m. 
• July 19 – WestJet Flight 3404 – from Toronto to Fredericton, departed at 3:40 p.m. 

New Moncton region exposure notices

• July 23 between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., July 25 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., July 28 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. July 29 between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and July 30 between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Tony's Bistro & Patisserie, 137 McLaughlin Rd., Moncton
• July 30 between 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. – Cannabis NB, 40 Wyse St., Moncton 
• July 30 between noon and 2 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore, 65 Main St., Moncton 
• July 30 between 12:30 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. – H&M, 1477 Paul St., Dieppe 
• July 30 between 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Chapters,  499 Paul St., Moncton 
• July 30 between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – Tokai Ramen,  823 Main St., Moncton 
• July 29 between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.  – St. James Gate, 14 Church St., Moncton 
• July 29 between 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. – Magic Mountain Mini Putt, 150 Magic Mountain Rd., Moncton 
• July 28 between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. – Pump House – Brewpub & Restaurant,  5 Orange Lane, Moncton
• July 28 between 3 p.m. and midnight and July 29 between 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. – Cheers' Beverage Room and Catering, 63 Brandon St., Moncton

Older exposure notices for the Moncton region 

• July 25 between 10 a.m and 5 p.m., July 30 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. – Sandbar Restaurant, 70 Pointe-du-Chêne Rd., Shediac
• July 25 between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., July 30 between 8:30 p.m. and 1 a.m., July 31 between 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Pub 1755, 439 Champlain St., Dieppe
• July 25 between 10:30 p.m. and 2:30 a.m., July 30 between 12:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. – The Furnace Room, 191 Robinson St., Moncton
• July 25 between 9 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., July 30 between 10:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. – Wize Guyz Pub, 176 Robinson St., Moncton
• July 22 between 6:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. – Gusto's Italian Grill and Bar, 130 Westmorland Dr., Moncton
• July 22 between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. – Starbucks, 361 Champlain St., Dieppe
• July 21 between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., July 22 between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., July 24 between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., July 28 between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and July 29 between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. – Tran's Place Restaurant, 436 Elmwood Dr., Moncton
• July 20 between 12:45 p.m. and 1:20 p.m., July 26 between noon and 1 p.m. and July 27 between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. – Tony's Bakery, 50 rue du Marché, Dieppe
• July 20 between 4 p.m. and 11:35 p.m., July 22 between 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and July 23 between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Carrabba's Italian Grill Restaurant, 1000 Main St., Moncton
• July 19 between 9 p.m. and midnight, July 21 between 7 p.m. and 1:30 a.m., July 22 between 4 p.m. and 1:30 a.m., July 23 between 6:30 p.m. and 3 a.m., July 24 between 2 p.m. and 3 a.m. and July 26 between 3 p.m. and 3 a.m. – The Third Glass Bar, 819 Main St., Moncton

Saint John region exposure notices

• July 27 between 5:30 p.m and 7:30 p.m. – Saint John Ale House, 1 Market Sq., Saint John
• July 27 between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – Hopscotch, 4 Canterbury St., Saint John
• July 27 between 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. – Italian By Night, 97 Germain  St., Saint John
• July 27 between 10:15 p.m. and midnight – Churchill's Bar and Pub, 8 Grannan St., Saint John
• July 27 between 11:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. – Uptown Pub Down Under Bar, 88 Prince William St., Saint John

Fredericton region exposure notice

There is a single exposure notice for the Fredericton area on July 26 for Maritime Bus Coach 1908, from Moncton to Fredericton, which departed at 4:20 p.m.

What's happening in the rest of Atlantic Canada

Nova Scotia reported six new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total number of known active cases in that province to 12.

The new cases include data from the weekend and Monday, and four are travel-related, one is a close contact of a previously reported case and one is under investigation.

One person is in hospital because of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia.

There were no new cases of COVID-19 on Prince Edward Island, but a potential exposure notice was issued for passengers of a July 27 Air Canada flight from Montreal to Charlottetown. The province has no active cases.

Newfoundland and Labrador hasn't released COVID-19 numbers for Tuesday, but on Monday reported three new cases, all related to travel. The province last reported it had five active cases.

What to do if you have a symptom

People concerned they might have COVID-19 can take a self-assessment test online.

Public Health says symptoms of the illness have included a fever above 38 C, a new or worsening cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, a new onset of fatigue, and difficulty breathing.

In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes.

People with one of those symptoms should stay at home, call 811 or their doctor and follow instructions.