There’s been a big jump in confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province, largely in the Central Health region forcing the closure of a school and causing Public Health to move the Twillingate area into Alert Level 3.

Public Health is reporting 45 new cases today – 39 in Central with an additional 18 new presumptive positive cases in the region.

Three positive cases are in Eastern Health and three in Western Health.

There are two people in hospital.

Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Rosann Seviour says that leaves a total of 109 active cases in the province.

Regional Breakdown

In the Eastern Health region:

·         Two between 20-39 years of age; and

·         One between 50-59 years of age.

All are males and one case is related to travel within Canada and two cases are under investigation.

In the Central Health region:

·         Two under 20 years of age;

·         10 between 20-39 years of age;

·         Seven between 40-49 years of age;

·         Eight between 50-59 years of age;

·         Four between 60-69 years of age; and

·         Eight 70 years of age and older.

There are 22 females and 17 males. There are seven cases who are contacts of a previous known case and 32 cases are under investigation.

In the Western Health region:

·         Two between 40-49 years of age; and

·         One between 50-59 years of age.

There is one female and two males. All cases are under investigation.

Alert Level 3

The shift to Alert Level 3 for the Twillingate area tonight includes communities on Twillingate Island and New World Island and along the main highway up to and including Boyd’s Cove.

That’s in addition to communities on the Baie Verte Peninsula which are also under Alert Level 3.

Placing the regions under Alert Level 3 will allow Public Health to carry out its investigation into recent outbreaks in the areas and reduce the risk of further spread of the Delta variant of the COVID virus.

New World Island Academy Cases

Ten confirmed cases are linked to New World Island Academy in Summerford.

There are 70 confirmed cases connected to the outbreaks in the region.

“This is preventable” says Health Minister John Haggie who expressed disappointment with the latest numbers. He says there have been plenty of vaccine clinics in the area.

He says it is “sad” that people have chosen not to avail of those clinics before embarking on recreational travel.