Seven positive cases of COVID-19 and two presumptive positives have been identified as part of Public Health’s investigation in the Stephenville area.
Medical Officer of Health for the Western region, Dr. Monika Dutt says there has been a connection to two schools in the Stephenville area, and Public Health has contacted everyone who is considered a close contact.
Health officials are still gathering information, and contact tracing is underway.
Related Story: Western Health Establishes COVID Testing for Students, Staff at Stephenville Primary
Dr. Dutt says she is working closely with the school board, and no recommendation has yet been made in regards to closing schools. She says Public Health is focusing on close contacts and collecting evidence. They will consult with the school board should the situation change.
Those newly identified cases will be added to the provincial tally on Saturday. Currently, the next live provincial briefing is scheduled for Wednesday, June 2, at 12:30 p.m. Newfoundland Time.
Elsewhere in the province, 11 new confirmed cases and one presumptive positive were reported in Central Newfoundland, and two confirmed cases were reported in the Eastern region as of today’s provincial update.
Five people are in hospital, four of whom are in intensive care.
Public Health is also advising rotational workers of identified outbreaks at two worksites out west. They include Imperial Oil in Cold Lake, Alberta, and the Cigar Lake mine site in Saskatchewan.
Earlier Story: NL Reports Another 14 Cases of COVID-19, Six Presumptive Cases Identified in Western Region
