Chief Medical Officer of Health – Dr Jennifer Russell – says the current outbreak of the new India variant is definitely a learning experience.
The outbreak of COVID in the Magee House residence at U-N-B in Fredericton has been identified as the India variant. The apartment style residence has been in lockdown for almost a week. Ten cases have been linked to this outbreak so far. Residents – family members – and staff of Magee House were retested yesterday. Russell says there is no evidence so far of any more apartment to apartment spread of the virus – however – results from the latest round of tests will tell the story.
Meantime – residents and staff of Elizabeth Parr-Johnston residence were tested on Tuesday. Test results have been negative so far – but – residents and staff continue to self isolate.
Russell says the cases in the Fredericton region outbreak are all connected and “this illustrates what we are up against. This is a virus that can and will spread quickly through casual contact. We must take every measure we can to slow the spread of COVID-19.” And the Chief Medical Officer of Health confirms that includes some diversion of additional vaccine doses to the Fredericton region as was the case during the outbreak in the Edmundston region.
