The Department of Health is confirming three new cases of COVID-19 in the province today.
The first is a man in his 60s in the Eastern Health region and is related to travel within Canada. The other two cases are both in the Western Health region and are close contacts of a previous case. Contact tracing is underway.
There have been four recoveries since yesterday’s update—one in Eastern Health and three in Western Health—leaving 26 active cases in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The investigation into a case that was reported on Thursday, April 8, in Eastern Health has concluded. Health officials were unable to identify the source of transmission.
“This is called a non-epidemiologically linked case and indicates that there is, or was, an unknown case of COVID-19. This could happen for any number of reasons including the individual may have been asymptomatic and recovered; the individual may have left the province; or, the individual did not seek testing.”
-Excerpt of a statement from the Department of Health and Community Services.
Public Health has issued a travel advisory as a result of one of today’s cases. Passengers on Air Canada Flight 8996, which departed Halifax and arrived in St. John’s on Tuesday, April 20, are asked to arrange for COVID testing.
Officials are also advising rotational workers of COVID-19 outbreaks at three Alberta worksites. Workers who have returned home from Cenovus Foster Creek, Suncor Fort Hill, or Syncrude Aurora must self-isolate for 14 days away from household members and arrange for COVID testing.
Western Health is now opening up vaccinations appointments to those who travel outside the province for work.
This includes rotational workers, truck drivers, flight crew, and Marine Atlantic crew.
Vaccinations will be available by appointment only.
Information on booking an appointment is available at Western Health’s website at this link.
Nova Scotia Tightens Travel Restrictions
Meanwhile, Nova Scotia has tightened up some of its border restrictions due to a recent surge in cases of COVID-19.
The province reported an additional 38 cases of COVID-19 today, prompting new lockdown measures in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Effective today, they are advising residents to avoid all non-essential travel outside the province until further notice. On top of that, anyone from outside Nova Scotia, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador will not be allowed to enter the province unless it is for essential travel—or if they are permanent residents of one of those provinces.
It clarifies that essential travel includes those who must work out of province, students coming to study in Nova Scotia, or those who are granted exemptions by the Chief Medical Officer of Health. A full list of details is available on the province’s website.
