As of today, government is working towards becoming more specific with the information they provide on positive COVID-19 cases.
Haggie says one of their concerns has been to balance the need for public information against that of the individual privacy of health information. Now that the province has surpassed 200 cases, he believes releasing more specific data will not jeopardize the individual privacy of patients.
(Stock photo.)
The plan is for information to be laid out in the form of a map, with indications of sites of disease and numbers in those communities.
Haggie says through feedback, they believe this is the best route to take.
He says if people would prefer it in a different way, they can break it down in just about any way that people want that is of use and serves the public interest and public health.
(Case breakdown by region as of April 5, 2020.)
From the point of view of getting people’s street addresses, Haggie says that’s not going to happen.
He claims its to address things like spread outside of the metro-region where, for example, the Eastern Health region expands as far as Terra Nova National Park.
The Health Minister adds that when the information goes public, it does not mean if your community does not have any reported cases that you do not need to care; he says continue to treat others as if they carry the virus.
Today’s update is at 2 p.m. NT (1:30 in most of Labrador). VOCM News will carry the conference live.
