FREDERICTON — There are now more than 1,100 active cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick after health officials reported 133 new cases and two more deaths Thursday.
Chief medical officer of health Dr. Jennifer Russell says there have now been 82 deaths related to COVID-19 in the province since the start of the pandemic.
The latest deaths involve a person in their 70s in the Fredericton region and someone over the age of 90 in the Miramichi region.
"I share my condolences with the family and friends who are mourning the loss of these individuals," Russell said in a statement Thursday. "We all have a role to play in helping to get COVID-19 under control, which includes following the rules under the mandatory order and getting fully vaccinated if you have not already done so."
There are 1,103 active cases of the virus in New Brunswick and 63 people are hospitalized, including 19 in intensive care.
People free of symptoms living in the so-called circuit-breaker areas, in the northwest and southeast of the province which have seen a high number of COVID-19 transmissions, will be able to pick up free rapid-test kits in Moncton, Perth-Andover and Grand Falls on Saturday.
The program is for people aged two and older. Each testing kit has five tests to be used over a 10-day period.
The 14-day circuit-breaker measures went into effect last Friday. They allow only single household gatherings and forbid travel in or out of the areas.
Positive cases have been confirmed in schools and child-care facilities in all regions of the province except the Edmundston region.
Health officials say as of Thursday, 81.8 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while 91 per cent have received at least one dose.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2021.
Kevin Bissett, The Canadian Press
