Sunday’s two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province boosted the weekend number of new cases to 10, Health and Community Services announced in a news release.
The first new confirmed case on Sunday is a male in the Eastern Health region between 50-59 years of age, and is travel-related. The man, a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, returned to the province from work in the United States and he is self-isolating and contact tracing is underway.
Sunday’s second case is a male in the Central Health region between 50-59 years of age and is also travel-related. The man is a resident of the province who had returned from work in Alberta. He is self-isolating and contact tracing is underway.
A Sunday news release also contained an update by Public Health on three of the eight cases reported on Saturday of which the source of infection had been under investigation. The update stated the source of infection for all three cases is travel. One case had returned to the province from work in Saskatchewan, while a second case had returned to the province from work in Alberta. The third case was related to international travel.
One person is in hospital due to the virus.
As of Sunday, Newfoundland and Labrador has 31 active cases of COVID-19. Two recoveries were reported on Sunday bringing the number of people have recovered from the virus in the province to 344.
To date, 70,180 people have been tested.
Meantime on Sunday, Health and Community Services issued several flight advisories because of the recent travel-related cases of COVID-19.
“The public should be reassured that when these flight advisories are issued, it is being done by Public Health out of an abundance of caution,” the release states.
“In order to identify cases of COVID-19 in the province, it is important for passengers who have travelled here on the identified flights to come forward for testing. Testing helps Public Health identify cases and starts the contact tracing process, which helps to reduce the risk of spread.”
Passengers who have travelled on any of the flights listed are asked to please call 811 to arrange testing:
• Air Canada Flight 8862 from Halifax to Gander that arrived Monday, Dec. 7;
• Air Canada Flight 690 from Toronto to St. John’s that arrived Friday, Dec. 11;
• Air Canada Flight 8862 from Halifax to Gander that arrived Friday, Dec. 11;
• Air Canada Flight 8862 from Halifax to Gander that arrived Tuesday, Dec. 15;
• Air Canada Flight 690 from Toronto to St. John’s that arrived Tuesday, Dec. 15; and,
• Air Canada Flight 690 from Toronto to St. John’s that arrived Thursday, Dec. 17.
The eight new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday are all in the Eastern Health region.
The first is a man between 40-49 years of age, and the second is a man between 50-59 years of age. These cases are related to international travel. These men are not residents of Newfoundland and Labrador and arrived in the province while in transit to another international destination. They have since left the province under Federal Public Health guidelines.
Another individual, who tested positive for COVID-19 and who was included in the department’s active case count, also left the province with the first two individuals.
Saturday’s news release noted there is no risk to anyone travelling on commercial airlines or ferries as a result of those cases — through arrival or departure.
Saturday’s third new confirmed case is a woman between 20-39 years of age and is related to international travel. A resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, the woman is self-isolating and contact tracing is completed.
The fourth new confirmed case on Saturday is a man between 20-39 years of age who returned to the province from work in Alberta. The individual is self-isolating and contact tracing is completed.
Saturday’s fifth new confirmed case is a man between 40-49 years of age, the sixth is a man between 40-49 years of age. The source of the infection was under investigation by Public Health and is now concluded.
The seventh new confirmed case is a male between 50-59 years of age who returned to the province from work in Alberta. The individual is self-isolating and contact tracing is completed.
The eighth new confirmed case is a man between 20-39 years of age and is related to international travel.
On Saturday, Health and Community Services advised rotational workers about two identified COVID-19 outbreaks in Alberta at the Chevron Duvernay Lodge and Suncor’s Fort Hills oil sands site. The department was notified about the outbreaks by the Public Health Agency of Canada as individuals from this province work at these locations.
A list of worksites with declared outbreaks can be found online. Rotational workers with these projects who have returned to Newfoundland and Labrador in the last 14 days must self-isolate and physically distance away from household members, and call 811 to arrange testing.
