New Brunswick reported nine new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and a jump in the vaccination rates among long-term care home workers.

The province now has 139 active cases of the respiratory disease.

Six people are hospitalized in New Brunswick, including two in intensive care. One person is hospitalized out of province and is in an intensive care unit.

The breakdown of the new cases is as follows:

Moncton region, Zone 1, one case:

• A person 50 to 59.

This case is a contact of a previously confirmed case.

Saint John region, Zone 2, two cases:

• A person 50 to 59.
• A person 60 to 69.

Both cases are travel-related and one individual is out of province.

Fredericton region, Zone 3, four cases:

• Four people 19 or under.

All four cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Bathurst region, Zone 6, two cases:

• A person 19 or under.
• A person 40 to 49.

Both cases are travel-related.

The nine new cases of COVID-19 announced Friday put the province's total active cases at 139. (CBC)

New Brunswick has had 2,181 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. There have been 1,998 recoveries so far and 43 COVID-related deaths.

A total of 331,080 COVID tests have been conducted, including 1,682 on Thursday.

As of Friday, 413,364 New Brunswickers have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. That's 59.6 per cent of the eligible population, aged 12 or older.

13 more homes reach 50% vaccination rate

Since Thursday, 13 more long-term care homes now have at least half of their staff vaccinated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, Social Development Minister Bruce Fitch announced Friday.

The jump comes after the province announced it would implement mandatory COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated workers in some homes next week because of "unacceptable" low vaccination rates.

"This rapid progress is no surprise to me or to staff at the department," Fitch said in a statement. "We know the workers at these facilities are dedicated to protecting and serving our most vulnerable seniors."

The Edmundston region, Zone 4, has the highest percentage of unvaccinated long-term care home workers, while the Fredericton region, Zone 3, has the highest percentage of workers who have received at least one dose. (Government of New Brunswick)

Of the province's 563 long-term care homes, the number of with fewer than 50 per cent of staff vaccinated is 86. That's down from 99 on Thursday.

All 70 nursing homes have staff vaccination rates above 50 per cent, according to a news release.

The Edmundston region, Zone 4, has the highest percentage of unvaccinated workers, at 28 per cent, according to a new website launched by the department.

A total of 74.1 per cent of all long-term care home staff in the province has now received at least one dose or intend to get the vaccine, according to the website.

Fitch is encouraging any workers who have not already made a vaccination appointment to do so as soon as possible.

Starting Monday, unvaccinated workers will be required to take a rapid COVID-19 test every other day if they work in a facility where less than half of the staff have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The province has 383,224 rapid tests and has distributed 53,458 in various sectors to date, said Department of Health spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane. "The province's supply will be able to continue to meet the demand for rapid tests for as long as needed," he said in an emailed statement Friday.

Bump in the 'path to green'

Just one day after New Brunswick announced its "path to green," it has hit a bump.

Premier Blaine Higgs said it's unlikely the province can open up to Maine on July 1, as hoped, based on his call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the other premiers Thursday night.

The Canada-U.S. border is federal jurisdiction and probably won't reopen in time, Higgs said.

But he believes later in July is possible.

New Brunswick's recovery plan includes three phases to slowly loosen restrictions, with target dates based on anticipated vaccination rates and low COVID-related hospitalizations.

Phase 2 calls for travellers from Canada and Maine with at least one dose of a COVID vaccine to be allowed into the province without having to isolate, starting July 1, provided at least 75 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have received their first dose and at least 20 per cent of New Brunswickers aged 65 or over have received their second dose.

Higgs said there's "a lot of interest" among the premiers in opening up with the U.S.

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said unless Canada gets a significant influx of additional COVID-19 vaccines before June 21, he expects the non-essential travel ban with the U.S. to be extended again. (Ed Hunter/CBC)

Last week, the federal government announced another month-long extension of Canada-U.S. border restrictions until June 21.

Higgs believes the non-essential travel ban will be extended again. "Whether it be another month or another few weeks, I think it's directly related to — can we get to the same level of vaccinations? Which, by the end of June would be probably a bit of a stretch."

More than 40 per cent of Americans are fully vaccinated. In New Brunswick, nearly 60 per cent of those eligible have received their first dose, but only about 5.4 per cent have received their second shot.

There is a push to strike a federal deal to gain access to surplus doses from the New England states, however, he said.

"If we have greater access, we not only can meet our schedule, but we can move move it up."

The premiers also discussed COVD-19 vaccine passports during the call with the prime minister, said Higgs.

There were "varying opinions," but "it wasn't something that was generally accepted" for Canadians travelling between provinces, he said. The idea garnered more support when it came to international travellers. 

At least 809 AstraZeneca doses claimed

At least 809 of the province's 3,500 doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, which are set to expire Monday, have been spoken for, according to the Department of Health.

Since last Friday, 809 people have booked an appointment to receive a second dose of AstraZeneca through the online booking system for clinics being held by the Horizon and Vitalité health authorities, said department spokesperson Shawn Berry.

"This does not include individuals who may have booked through a pharmacy," he said in an emailed statement.

Any unused doses of the province's AstraZeneca supply left over by Monday, the expiry date, will be disposed of, the chief medical officer of health has said. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Last Friday, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell announced the province had 3,500 doses in stock, with an expiry date of May 31.

If the doses aren't used by then, they will be disposed of, Russell had said.

During Thursday's COVID briefing, Russell told reporters she remained hopeful that none of the doses would go to waste.

People over the age of 55 who received AstraZeneca as their first dose at least eight weeks ago and want to receive a second dose, can check for clinic availability in their area by booking online.

There are clinics planned Saturday in Woodstock and Saint John, Sunday in Fredericton and Monday in Moncton, Campbellton and Miramichi. People should book at least 36 hours ahead, department officials said.

To see if a pharmacy is offering second doses of AstraZeneca, visit the pharmacy's website or social media page.

Fredericton community transmission case ID'd

A case of community transmission in the Fredericton region, Zone 3, has been identified as the variant of concern first reported in the U.K., Department of Health spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane said in an email Friday.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell announced the case earlier this week and described it as concerning.

Public Health has been unable to trace the case to any other cases in the region and believes it is a different strain, she had said.

"I'm not talking the variant here," she said. "I'm just talking that it's a different genetic sequence than whatever is circulating currently."

Macfarlane did not elaborate in his email on if or how the case is different than the other cases in the region involving the U.K. variant.

Delta Fredericton cluster reaches 77

The cluster of COVID-19 cases linked to the former isolation hotel, the Delta Fredericton, has now reached 77, the Department of Health said Friday.

Twelve cases were directly linked to the Delta, said Macfarlane. The other 65 were contacts, either direct or indirect.

The outbreak in the Fredericton region stems from the Delta, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell has confirmed.

She has declined to reveal whether the index case was an isolating guest, an employee or another guest, citing confidentiality.

The Delta cluster is fuelled by the highly contagious variant first reported in India and health officials believe there's a very strong probability it's spreading through surface contacts, rather than respiratory droplets or aerosols, according to an internal Horizon Health Network memo.

Small business grant enhanced and extended until green phase

More help is on the way for small businesses hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the launch of Phase 2 of the New Brunswick Small Business Recovery Grant program, Opportunities NB announced Friday.

Under the enhanced and extended program, eligible businesses can apply for a non-repayable grant of up to $5,000 to help offset losses incurred since April 1 because of tighter Public Health restrictions — even at the yellow COVID alert level.

Previously, businesses could only access the grants under the more restrictive orange, red or lockdown levels.

In addition, the province has reduced the 30 per cent year-over-year drop in revenue threshold to 20 per cent when compared to the same month in 2019, said Economic Development and Small Business Minister Arlene Dunn, who is also the minister responsible for Opportunities NB.

"While the pandemic has been unpredictable, our commitment to business is not," she said in a statement. "The changes we are bringing to the program will ensure New Brunswick businesses continue to get the support they need in a timely manner."

Businesses within the eligible sectors that have been subject to elevated COVID alert levels and/or impacted by measures limiting unnecessary travel into New Brunswick, are able to apply, said Economic Development and Small Business Minister Arlene Dunn. (Ed Hunter/CBC)

Eligible business types include restaurants and drinking establishments, hairstylists and spas, fitness facilities, entertainment centres, some tourism operators, and non-essential retail businesses located in lockdown zones.

Applications will be accepted beginning June 1. The program will remain open until New Brunswick reaches the green level of recovery, which is expected to be on Aug. 2.

Businesses that accessed the grant under the first phase remain eligible to apply for the full amount available under Phase 2.

Tourism industry urges travellers to come to New Brunswick

The president of the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick has a message for travellers.

"Come on over."

On Thursday, the province outlined a path to a green COVID-19 recovery phase by the beginning of August.

Carol Alderdice welcomed the news.

"I actually had tears in my eyes."

She hasn't heard from members of the tourism industry yet, but she's certain "they must be elated."

"We absolutely need people to travel in New Brunswick this summer."