N.B. COVID-19 roundup: 1 new death, confirmed case of variant first reported in Brazil

New Brunswick has lost another resident to COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 40, and has its first confirmed case of the highly transmissible P.1 variant first detected in Brazil.

Public Health confirmed Thursday that a person in their 80s has died of COVID-19.

The person was a resident of Pavillon Beau-Lieu, a special care home in the Edmundston region, Zone 4, the department said in a news release.

It is the fourth COVID-related death at the Grand Falls home.

Confirmed case of variant first detected in Brazil

A previously reported case of COVID-19 in the Bathurst region, Zone 6, has now been identified as the P.1 variant first detected in Brazil.

In a news release Thursday, Public Health said the Dr. Georges-L-Dumont University Hospital Centre's microbiology laboratory in Moncton confirmed the case.

The P.1 variant is thought to be at least twice as transmissible as the original coronavirus causing COVID-19.

In an interview with CBC News last week, Memorial University immunologist and virologist Rodney Russell flagged the P.1 variant as particularly concerning in terms of vaccination efforts.

• Herd immunity an elusive but important goal, virologist says

While existing vaccines "should be" effective against several variants, including the variant first identified in the U.K., Russell said the P.1 variant was a wild card.

"Now the Brazilian one, that's a different story," he said.

Russell noted he has seen numbers that suggest 10 times the antibodies strength is needed to neutralize the virus with that variant. 

11 new cases reported

Eleven new cases were reported in four zones on Thursday, seven of them in the Bathurst region, Zone 6.

Ten of the 11 cases are travel-related, in New Brunswick workers who are isolating outside the province. Their cases are included in the totals of the health zones of their home communities, Public Health said in a news release.

The cases break down in this way:

Saint John region, Zone 2, two cases: 

• an individual 20 to 29 
• an individual 40 to 49 

One case is under investigation and the other is travel-related.

Fredericton region, Zone 3, one case:

• an individual 50 to 59. This case is travel-related.

Campbellton region, Zone 5, one case:

• an individual 50 to 59. This case is travel related.

Bathurst region, Zone 6, seven cases:  

• an individual 20 to 29
• an individual 30 to 39
• three people 40 to 49 
• two people 50 to 59 

All of these cases are travel-related.

The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 1,980. Since Wednesday, 13 people have recovered for a total of 1,797 recoveries. There have been 40 deaths, and the number of active cases is 142.

Six patients are in hospital, including two in an intensive care unit. Yesterday, 1,598 tests were conducted for a total of 300,616.

Still questions about quarantine hotel exposure

The Department of Health says that to date, no positive test results for COVID-19 have come from the 170 tests administered to guests and staff at the Delta Fredericton on Wednesday.

There is not an outbreak at the hotel, but Public Health is using protocols similar to those that would be used by the provincial rapid outbreak management team in a long-term care home outbreak, Department of Health spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane said Thursday.

Macfarlane would not clarify or elaborate on a letter hotel guests received under their doors on Wednesday from the Horizon Health Network that said, "there have been confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Delta Hotel."

The letter said the possible exposure was between April 26 and May 2. Public Health issued an exposure notice for the hotel for the same period.

Macfarlane would not say whether the active cases mentioned in the Horizon notice occurred among guests who were quarantining, regular guests, visitors or staff.

He also would not say if the hotel still had active cases or how many cases would be necessary to constitute an outbreak.

Horizon and the Delta have referred all questions to Public Health.

Children 12 to 15 eligible for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Children aged 12 to 15 who have a complex medical condition or two or more chronic conditions are now eligible to have an appointment scheduled online at gnb.ca to receive their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine through the Vitalité or Horizon health networks.

A parent or guardian must schedule the appointment and provide consent for the vaccination of a child under 16.

Children 12 to 15 who do not have chronic or complex medical conditions will become eligible for vaccination later this spring at the same time as all those under the age of 19, Public Health said in a news release Thursday.

Latest exposure notifications

Fredericton:

• Monday, April 26 to Sunday, May 2 – Delta Fredericton (225 Woodstock Rd.)

Moncton:

• Monday, May 3, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. – Costco Wholesale (140 Granite Dr.)

Flight exposures:

• April 25 - Air Canada Flight 396 – from Calgary to Montreal, departed at 1:07 a.m.
• April 25 - Air Canada Flight 8898 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 8:29 a.m.
• April 28 - Air Canada Flight 318 – from Calgary to Montreal, departed at 12:03 p.m.
• April 28 - Air Canada Flight 8906 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 7:08 p.m. 
• April 30 - Air Canada Flight 170 – from Edmonton to Toronto, departed at 1:56 p.m.
• April 30 - Air Canada Flight 8918 – from Toronto to Moncton, departed at 8:56 p.m.

Public Health is now offering COVID-19 testing for all New Brunswickers who have been in a public exposure area, even if they are not experiencing any symptoms. Residents may request a test online or call Tele-Care 811 to get an appointment at the nearest screening centre. 

Other possible exposures

Moncton region:

• April 29 between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – Papa John's Pizza (555 Dieppe Blvd., Dieppe)
• April 29 between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (320 Elmwood Dr., Moncton)

Saint John region:

• April 28 between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (195 King St., St. Stephen)
• April 26 between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – Save Easy (232 Water St., Saint Andrews)
• April 24 between 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – Birch Grove Restaurant (34 Brunswick St., St. George)
• April 20 between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. – Dr. Michael Murphy's Office (6 Queen St. W., St. Stephen)

Fredericton region:

• April 23 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., and April 22 between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. – Winners (9 Riocan Ave.) 
• April 23 between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. – Pizza Hut  (1180 Smythe St., Fredericton)
• April 23 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Petsmart (1124 Prospect St., Fredericton)
• April 23 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Charm Diamond Centres (Regent Mall, 1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
• April 23 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – La Senza (Regent Mall, 1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
• April 23 between 10:30 a.m. and noon – Costco (25 Wayne Squibb Blvd., Fredericton) 
• April 23 and April 22 – Radisson Kingswood Hotel & Suites (41 Kingswood Way, Hanwell)
• April 22 between 2 and 3 p.m., Habitat for Humanity Restore (800 St. Mary St., Fredericton)
• April 22 between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. – Unplugged (418 Queen St., Fredericton) 
• April 22 between 1 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – Bed Bath & Beyond (15 Trinity Ave., Fredericton)
• April 21 between 5:30 and 8 p.m. – Jungle Jim's (1168 Smythe St., Fredericton)
• April 21 between 1 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – Old Navy (Regent Mall, 1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
• April 21 between 12 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – Chapters (Regent Mall, 1381 Regent St., Fredericton)
• April 21 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Moffitts Convenience (1879 Rte. 3, Harvey Station)
• April 22 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – The Snooty Fox (66 Regent St., Fredericton)
• April 23 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., and April 22 between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. – HomeSense, (18 Trinity Dr., Fredericton)
• April 23 between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – Save Easy Independent Grocer (135 Otis Dr., Nackawic)
• April 23 – Canada Post (135 Otis Dr., Nackawic) 
• April 22 and April 23 – Jolly Farmer (56 Crabbe Rd., Northampton)
• April 24 between 10 a.m. and noon – YMCA (570 York St., Fredericton)
• April 23 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Walmart Supercentre (1399 Regent St, Fredericton)
• April 23 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Princess Auto (21 Trinity Ave., Fredericton)
• April 23 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Home Depot (Corbett Centre, Fredericton)
• April 23 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – Swiss Chalet (961 Prospect Ave., Fredericton)
• April 22 between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. – Canadian Tire (1110 Smythe Ave., Fredericton)
• April 22 between 10 a.m. and noon. – Digital World (524 Smythe Ave., Fredericton)
• April 22 between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – Tim Horton's (1713 Woodstock Rd., Fredericton) 
• April 22 between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Costco (25 Wayne Squibb Blvd., Fredericton) 
• From April 19 to April 22 – Canada Post (135 Otis Dr., Nackawic) 
• April 21 between noon and 4 p.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (1040 Prospect St., Fredericton)

Edmundston region:

• May 1 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., April 30 between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., April 27 between noon and 12:30 p.m. – Legresley Esso (15 Notre-Dame Rd., Kedgwick)
• May 1 between 12:00 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Rossy (344 Canada Rd. Unit K, Saint-Quentin)
• May 1 between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. - Ameublement Milix (344 Canada Rd., Saint-Quentin)
• May 1 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – Boutique du Dollar 12345 (116A Notre-Dame Rd., Kedgwick)
• April 29 between 11:15 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. – Familiprix (116A Notre-Dame Rd., Kedgwick)
• May 1 between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., April 29 between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., April 28 between 8:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – Bonichoix (4 Camille Rd., Kedgwick)
• April 28 between 12:00 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Irving (272 Canada Rd., Saint-Quentin)
• April 25 between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. – St. Patrick Church (2154, Rte. 130, Grand Falls)
• April 27 between 5:15 a.m. and 5:45 a.m., April 28 between 5:15 a.m. and 5:45 a.m., April 26 between 6:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. – Hill Top Motel & Restaurant (131 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
• April 28 between 5 a.m. and 5:15 a.m. – Irving Big Stop (121 Route 255, Grand Falls)
• April 27 between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. and on April 26 between 3 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. – Walmart, (494 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
• April 27 between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. – Grand Falls General Hospital
• April 26 between 2:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. – Blue's Printing Shop, (182 Portage St., Grand Falls)
• April 26 between noon and 12:15 p.m. – St-Onge Industrial Supplies (Belanger St., Grand Falls)
• April 26 between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – Canadian Tire (383 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
• April 26 between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. and April 24 between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (240 Madawaska Rd., Grand Falls)
• April 26 between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. – Foodland Grand Falls (535 Everard H. Daigle, Grand Falls)
• April 26 between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. and April 25 between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. – Toner Home Hardware (445 Broadway Blvd., Grand Falls)
• April 26 between 9:45 a.m. and 10 a.m. – Merritt Press (208 Main St., Grand Falls)

Flight exposures:

• April 28 - Air Canada Flight 396 – from Calgary to Montreal departed at 1:05 a.m.
• April 29 - Air Canada Flight 8898 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 8:24 a.m.
• April 24 - Air Canada Flight 8918 – from Toronto to Moncton, departed at 9:04 p.m.
• April 22 - Air Canada Flight 396 – from Calgary to Montreal departed at 12:52 a.m.
• April 22 - Air Canada Flight 8898 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 8:27 a.m.
• April 20 - Air Canada Flight 318 – from Calgary to Montreal, departed at 11:45 a.m.
• April 20 - Air Canada Flight 8906 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 7:01 p.m.

What to do if you have a symptom

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

Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included:

• Fever above 38 C.

• New cough or worsening chronic cough.

• Sore throat.

• Runny nose.

• Headache.

• New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell.

• 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 Tele-Care 811 or their doctor.

• Describe symptoms and travel history.

• Follow instructions.