FOG BLOG NB NEWS LOG: 48 NEW COVID CASES AND CIRCUIT BREAKER EXTENDED TO INCLUDE SAINT JOHN:

N.B. COVID-19 roundup: 48 new cases, Horizon and Vitalité return to orange alert level.....Regional health authorities will maintain red-level visitor restrictions......

Expanded Zone 2 circuit breaker begins at 6 p.m.
Breakdown of new cases
Contact tracing continues, despite surge in cases
New rules for youth to enter Nova Scotia
New cases at 2 schools, 1 child-care facility
Atlantic COVID roundup

Horizon and Vitalité health networks will return to the orange alert level Monday, citing a decrease in the number of new and active COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, including ICU admissions, across the province. Public Health reported 48 new cases and 41 recoveries Friday. There are now 556 active cases, up from 549 Thursday. Twenty-eight people are in hospital because of the virus, down from 31, including 17 in intensive care, an increase of one. The move to orange will mean an increase in services from the current red alert level, Vitalité said in a statement Friday. "Transitioning to the orange alert level means that the network believes it has the capacity to increase ambulatory care, medical imaging, and surgical services," it said. If CUPE health-care workers go on strike, however, Vitalité "could have to quickly change its alert level [again]," it advised. A strike would have "direct or indirect impacts on its regular activities." Officials are monitoring the situation "very closely."

Is Halloween still on? Expert says yes, but with cautions
Saint John church agrees to obey the province's COVID protocols for religious gatherings

Horizon said its switch to orange will be in place for at least two weeks and then be reassessed. Both regional health authorities will maintain their red alert level visitor restrictions, however. This means no visitors are allowed, with some exceptions, such as patients who are eligible for a designated support person. "This precaution is necessary to ensure the safety of patients, employees and doctors in a context where there are active outbreaks in some hospitals and several communities are dealing with community transmission," Vitalité said. Horizon said that it will allow time to ensure COVID-19 cases continue to decrease, and that staffing resources remain stable to continue all services, from ambulatory care clinic visits to urgent and complex medical emergencies.