Healthcare workers are among those identified in a cluster of positive cases and possible contacts related to a recent funeral in the St. John’s area.

Health Minister John Haggie says Newfoundland and Labrador is following in the footsteps of other jurisdictions where there have been clusters of outbreaks—such as a convention in Vancouver, a curling bonspiel in Saskatoon and a nursing home in British Columbia.

Minister Haggie says because of the nature of the contacts at the funeral home, a large number of health care workers are now self-isolating, but not all have tested positive. That includes 60 health care workers in a variety of occupations.

Haggie says nine Eastern Health staff have tested positive, not all of whom work at the Health Sciences Centre. Most of those cases are related to the funeral home. Haggie says all are relatively well, and managing their symptoms at home.

Among those affected are four teams of paramedics, who are currently in self-isolation.

Haggie says they were unaware when responding to a call, of the patient’s possible exposure to COVID-19. He’s reminding people who call for an ambulance, to tell officials beforehand of their possible exposure to COVID-19.