FOG BLOG NB COVID 19 UPDATE LOG: OUTLOOK GRIM AS NEW BRUNSWICK REPORTS 24 NEW CASES:

JENNIFER RUSSEL SAYS OUTLOOK IS GRIM AS LAST 3 DAYS SEES UPTICK IN CASES......THE IDEA WAS ALSO FLOATED THAT IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO GO INTO MORE RESTRICTIVE 'RED' PHASE ,THAT WOULD SEE MANY STORES AND SERVICES CURTAILED OR CLOSED DURING PHASE....New Brunswick reported 24 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, raising the number of active cases to 130 and pushing the number of cases since the pandemic began to more than 700.

"Our situation is grim," Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province's chief medical officer of health, said during a news conference in Fredericton. "The current situation is the worst we have seen so far during this pandemic."

The province is also dealing with cases at two long-term care homes and a school........"You can expect that we will see more cases in the coming days," Russell said.

With multiple outbreaks around the province in multiple vulnerable settings, Russell encouraged people to download the COVID-19 app to help contract tracers limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.

After a confirmed case at each facility, rapid-response teams have gone to Canterbury Hall in Riverview and to Fundy Manor II in Hillsborough.

Bessborough School in Moncton was also closed on Thursday after a positive test...Here is where the 24 new cases reported Thursday are located.

Five cases in Zone 1 (Moncton region), including:

• one person 19 and under;

• three people in their 20s; and

• a person in their 30s.

Two cases in Zone 2 (Saint John region), including:

• one person in their 20s; and;

• one person in their 50s.

Seven cases in Zone 3 (Fredericton region), including:

• one person 19 and under;

• five people in their 30s; and

• one person in their 50s.

Five cases in Zone 4 (Edmundston region), including:

• two people in their 20s;

• two people in their 40s; and

• one person in their 70.

Five cases in Zone 5 (Campbellton region), including:

• two people in their 30s;

• two people in their 40s; and

• one person in their 50s.

All cases are self-isolating and under investigation.

There are 717 confirmed cases in New Brunswick. Of those, 577 have recovered,