At a press conference in Fredericton on Saturday, April 10, 2021, New Brunswick Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell and New Brunswick Health Minister Dorothy Shephard announced that a section of Zone 4, the Edmundston region, including the City of Edmundston and the upper Madawaska region will go into lockdown effective at midnight tonight. 

“I know going back into lockdown will be difficult for residents of Zone 4 but this a necessary action to get the situation under control,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard.

Saint-Léonard, Grand Falls, Drummond, New Denmark and Four Falls will remain under the Red level. The Saint-Quentin and Kedgwick regions will remain in the Yellow level. The lockdown is currently only in the previously mentioned designated section of Zone 4. Under lockdown, people must stay within their single-household bubble and unnecessary travel in and out of the lockdown area is not permitted. Schools in the lockdown area will move to online-only learning.

Public Health made the recommendation to the all-party cabinet committee on COVID-19 and to cabinet based on the confirmed presence of the more contagious variants of COVID-19 along with the possibility of community transmission. 16 cases of community transmission were recently discovered by contract tracers in the region. 

“It’s not business as usual anymore as we are treating every COVID-19 case as if it is a variant of concern,” said Dr. Russell.

Dr. Russell and Minister Shephard also announced the death of the 33rd New Brunswicker to COVID-19. The individual was a resident of Zone 4 and between the ages of 70 to 79. 

“Every person who loses their life to this virus is a tragedy,” Minister Shephard said. “My thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of this person.”

“I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of this individual,” Dr. Russell said. “We will all mourn with them and share in their loss and deep sorrow.”