For the first time since COVID-19 was first detected in Newfoundland and Labrador, the province has confirmed community spread of the virus.
There are eleven new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province today, and with three non-epidemiologically-linked clusters, Dr. Fitzgerald confirmed community spread in the metro region.
She says three clusters with no known source signals community spread in the area, the extent of which is not fully known at this time.
All of the new infections reported today are in the Eastern Health region. Five people are under 20 years of age, four cases are between 40-49, one case between 50-59, and one case is over 70 years of age.
That’s prompted Dr. Fitzgerald to announce new Special Measures Orders for the St. John’s-metro region effective immediately.
All group and team sports and recreational activities, as well as group instruction and arts and cultural activities that involve in-person activities, are suspended. Those activities, says Fitzgerald, are the primary areas of risk.
The province has reported 427 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic. 82,530 people have been tested to date.
Officials to Determine if Further Measures Necessary
Public Health is evaluating the current situation in the metro region over the next 48 hours and will determine if further measures will be necessary.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald has announced Special Measures Orders to help reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19 in long-term care homes as well.
Visitation is being reduced to two people per resident, while all group activities have been suspended as well as all activities outside homes. Staff will not be shared between homes except in urgent situations where direct resident care will be adversely affected.
All residents of long-term care homes in St. John’s who wish to receive the COVID-19 vaccine have received the first dose.
Continue Taking Precautions: CMOH
Today’s COVID briefing comes with an assertion from the Chief Medical Officer of Health that stopping the spread of the virus can be achieved if they know all the cases in the community.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says with community spread in our midst, we need to behave as we did in April and assume that COVID is anywhere and practice physical distancing, hand washing and the proper use of face masks.
She is urging residents to get tested if they have symptoms of COVID-19 to use the online assessment tool to arrange for a test.
A mild cough, or fever is enough to warrant a test, and you should get a test if you have two or more of the following symptoms:
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Painful swallowing
- Runny nose
- Diarrhea
- Loss of sense of smell or taste
- Unexplained loss of appetite
- Small red, or purple spots on the hands or feet
