There are four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in the province today. Two are in the Eastern Health region and two in the Central Health region.
One case is connected to the cluster announced yesterday—bringing the total number of people connected to that cluster to five.
There are 13 active cases of the virus in Newfoundland and Labrador, including one person in hospital. 160 people are now self-isolating.
Of the cases announced today, both cases in Eastern Health are females under the age of 20. One of those cases is a close contact of the cluster with no known source. The other case is travel-related.
In the Central Health region, one of the cases involves a man who returned to the province from work in Nunavut, while the other is a man employed on the Blue Puttees. Two previous cases, one in this province and the other in Nova Scotia, involved crew on the Marine Atlantic ferry.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald is asking anyone who travelled on the Blue Puttees between December 29 and January 16 to contact 811 for COVID testing.
There is one suspected case of COVID-19 in relation to a daycare in the Eastern Health region. There is no confirmation on test results connected to that suspected case.
Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says a suspect case is symptomatic and linked to previous cases. Whether they test positive or not, Fitzgerald says the case is treated the same, and if negative, they are still treated as a suspect case.
None of the children or staff at the daycare have tested positive for COVID at this time.
Lumsden Business Sets Out Safety Protocol
A business in the Lumsden area has taken to Facebook to announce changes to the services it provides due to what it calls the “current COVID situation in our surrounding area.” Lumsden is along the straight shore in the Bonavista North area.
Carter’s Dairy, Bakery and Deli Gas Bar says it is tightening restrictions in its store for the next few days, strictly limiting the number of customers at a time, while the takeout will be closed until Monday.
It says staff will sanitize after each customer. They urge residents to stay safe and be kind to one another.
It’s one of a number of businesses in the Lumsden and New-Wes-Valley area that are taking added precautions in light of what they indicate is the presence of COVID in the area.