Health officials in this province and Nova Scotia are busy tracking close contacts of a Marine Atlantic worker who has tested positive for COVID-19.
The frontline worker, who is a man, developed symptoms after finishing his weekend shift aboard the ferry Blue Puttees, prompting him to get tested and the ferry to be taken out of service.
About 125 crewmembers are being tested with roughly half of them isolating aboard the ship pending their results.
Marine Atlantic’s Darrell Mercer says the risk to customers is considered low.
Hundreds of passengers, mostly commercial, would’ve used the ferries during that time but he says there’s only a small chance they would’ve had interaction with the infected employee given the safety protocols in place.
Two ferry crossings were cancelled yesterday due to the positive test but Mercer says there should be no further disruption to the flow of goods with the Highlanders, which is still sailing, and the Atlantic Vision, which is on standby.
The positive test is the first related to Marine Atlantic travel since the pandemic began.
Passengers onboard Marine Atlantic’s Blue Puttees on any and all trips between December 29th and January 16th are being advised to arrange to get tested.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald made the advisory yesterday.
She says the risk is low, and they’re making the advisory out of “an abundance of caution.”