The province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health is warning against complacency as the number of COVID cases continues to grow both inside and outside the province.

There were three new confirmed cases of the virus in the province yesterday: One involving a senior tenant at the Blue Crest Cottages in Grand Bank, a young man who recently returned from Halifax, and a woman in her 40s who is a resident of the Western Health region. The source of that case remains under investigation.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says the virus comes in through travel but spreads when people fail to adhere to public health measures, like washing your hands, wearing a mask, maintaining a six-foot physical distance from others, and limiting your personal contacts.

That is especially true leading up to and including the Christmas season.

These are not normal times says Fitzgerald and we should all be avoiding gatherings. “This is not 2019, this is 2020 and 2020 is quite different from last year.” She says contacts should be reduced as much as possible.