No new cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick for 11th consecutive day

Outcry from many sectors in N.B. Decision to ban temporary foreign workers will make it difficult to get work done, some say. Laura Brown reports.

HALIFAX — There are no new cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick for the 11th consecutive day.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province's chief medical officer of health, said during a news conference in Fredericton on Wednesday afternoon that 269 tests had been done in the last 24 hours. She added that of the 118 people who tested positive for COVID-19 in New Brunswick, all but four have recovered.

She said she is proud of New Brunswickers for making sacrifices and following public health orders.

"We asked people to stay home as much as possible and you did that," Dr. Russell said.

Dr. Russell said there were 301 calls to the 811 phone line on Tuesday and 152 of them were referred to a testing centre to get a test.

Premier Blaine Higgs said the decision to ban temporary foreign workers is consistent with the way New Brunswick has acted since the pandemic started.

He said the province has acted with an abundance of caution and that has allowed New Brunswick to fare much better than other provinces and countries where less restrictive policies have been used.

“The decision to restrict temporary foreign workers from entering the province was made to protect the health and safety of New Brunswickers,” said Higgs. “We must continue to exercise caution. To do otherwise puts us all at risk of contracting COVID-19.”

Higgs said allowing temporary foreign workers, or any other people to come in to the province, is the most likely way to risk the spread of the virus in New Brunswick.