Coronavirus

A pneumonia outbreak, now known to be caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19), was identified in Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the virus a public health emergency.

As the situation continues to evolve, new travel information and precautions are becoming available.

Know before you go, consult the Public Health Agency of Canada’s current travel notices before your departures.

The current overall risk to New Brunswickers is still considered low by medical experts. The risk to Canadian travellers abroad is generally low but will vary depending on the destination. The Public Health Agency of Canada is closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19 in other countries.

Anyone who has traveled internationally in the last 14 days should self-monitor for two weeks from when they arrived back in Canada. Individual risk will vary depending on the destination.

People arriving from Iran or the Chinese province of Hubei will need to self-isolate regardless of symptoms.

Symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing may take up to 14 days to appear.

Should an individual who has recently traveled outside the country experience non-specific symptoms (such as headache, congestion, achiness, feeling unwell) they should separate themselves from others and stay home to monitor themselves further. 

Should these symptoms progress to include fever or cough, the individual should:

• continue to stay at home
• immediately call Tele-Care 811
• describe symptoms and travel history
• follow instructions carefully

Older adults and people who have certain chronic medical conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart and lung disease are more likely to have severe disease. 

These individuals should be pay particular attention to taking everyday precautions as well as generally keeping space between themselves and others, such as minimizing attendance at crowded gatherings and mass events or thinking of other ways of participating (virtual attendance).

They should also think about what health and food supplies they need on hand should they have to stay home, and slowly start replenishing their shelves.

Public Health is very concerned about keeping this infection out of nursing homes, seniors’ residences, and other locations where vulnerable people gather.

If you are a staff, family member, or friend and you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection, please avoid nursing and other care homes, senior’s residences, and assisted living facilities.

On December 31, 2019, a cluster of cases of pneumonia was reported in Wuhan, China, and the cause has been confirmed as a new coronavirus that has not previously been identified in humans. This virus is now known as the 2019 Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has assessed the public health risk associated with COVID-19 remains low for Canada at this time.  For Canadian international travelers rish will vary depending on the destination. The Public Health Agency of Canada is closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19 in other countries. Public health risk is continually reassessed as new information becomes available.

If you have travelled outside Canada, within the last 14 days  it is important to monitor your health when you return to Canada.

If you became sick during your travel or after your return, contact TeleCare 8-1-1 to access a free, confidential service that will provide health advice and information and access to the appropriate level of care.

Public Health Agency of Canada has also established a new toll-free phone number (1-833-784-4397) to answer questions about COVID-19.

Looking for more information, visit our frequently asked questions.

New Brunswick’s public health officials are carefully monitoring the situation in Canada, and around the world, and are ready to respond should there be any cases in New Brunswick. They are:

• working closely with federal, provincial and territorial partners to share information and assess potential health risks
• ensuring our health system is ready to respond effectively if needed
• ensuring front-line health professionals have information about the virus so they can:
  • take recommended actions
  • promptly report suspected cases to public health officials

If you have travelled to Hubei province, China or Iran (area of higher risk) in the last 14 days, limit your contact with others for a total of 14 days from the date that you left Hubei or Iran (this means self-isolate and stay at home), and contact New Brunswick Tele-Care 8-1-1 within 24 hours of arriving in Canada. In addition, all travellers from mainland China are advised to monitor themselves for symptoms and to contact the local public health authority in their province or territory if they feel sick.

There are several active Public Health Agency of Canada travel health notices for COVID-19. Each country or area may have different levels of risk. The levels of risk for COVID-19 are based on outbreaks and the risk of spreading disease.   These risk levels may change as the outbreak evolves. 

It is important for all travellers to monitor their health when they return to Canada. While abroad, you may have come in contact with the novel coronavirus. PHAC asks that you monitor your health for fever, cough and difficulty breathing for 14 days after you arrive in Canada. If you have these symptoms, call TeleCare 811. They will provide advice on what you should do.

There are currently 77 confirmed cases and 1 death in Canada. For more information visit the Public Health Agency of Canada. The cases in Canada are travel-related and are being isolated to prevent further transmission.

*Confirmed cases are those confirmed positive by the National Microbiology Lab (NML) in Winnipeg.

**Probable cases are those found to have a presumptive positive by the George Dumont Lab but have not yet received a confirmed positive by the NML.

***Negative cases are those found to have a negative confirmation by the NML lab in Winnipeg.