Moncton restaurant and Costco eyeglass counter focus of COVID-19 warning

New Brunswick health officials have identified potential public exposure to COVID-19 at the Moncton Costco Optical Centre and Moncton St-Hubert restaurant.

Both sites are popular with Prince Edward Islanders and Nova Scotians making day trips to shop in the Moncton area.

The news led P.E.I.'s chief public health officer to issue a statement late Wednesday.

"Out of an abundance of caution, Islanders who accessed services at the Costco Optical Centre or St-Hubert Restaurant in Moncton since Thursday, October 1 should monitor for symptoms of COVID-19," said the news release from Dr. Heather Morrison. "Islanders who are experiencing symptoms should immediately visit a drop-in testing clinicto be tested."

The public health warning came from Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health, as she and Premier Blaine Higgs gave a grim update on the province's latest COVID-19 outbreak.

They confirmed 17 new cases of COVID-19 amid efforts to contain the outbreak identified Tuesday at the Manoir Notre-Dame special care home in Moncton.

Russell said 13 residents, four staff and two family members have now tested positive for the coronavirus, up from two residents whose illnesses were announced a day earlier.

New Brunswick now has20 active casesin the Moncton regionandtwo in the Saint John region.

As of a briefing on Tuesday morning, P.E.I. still had threeactive COVID-19 cases.

Word of the possible exposure locations in Moncton comes as Prince Edward Island prepares to sign on with the COVID Alert contact notification app, as of Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, despite the increase in cases in New Brunswick, a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia government said the province has no intention of changing its border protocols at this time.

More from CBCP.E.I.