10 New Cases of COVID-19 and New Special Measures Order
On Wednesday there were ten new cases of COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Of those cases four were in the Eastern Health region, three are in the Central Health region, two in the Western Health region and one in the Labrador-Grenfell Health region.
Seven of the cases are related to travel within Canada. Three are a close contact of a previous case.
There are now three confirmed cases associated with a school in the community of Doyle’s. Western Health is encouraging anyone in the area to get tested for COVID-19, regardless if they have symptoms or not.
One person is in hospital due to COVID-19.
There are 81 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. To date, 137,037 people have been tested.
Public Health is asking passengers who travelled on the flights listed below to arrange COVID-19 testing.
Air Canada Flight 8016 that departed Montreal and arrived in St. John’s on Monday, May 10.
Air Canada Flight 8994 that departed Halifax and arrived in St. John’s on Monday, May 10.
Air Canada Flight 7542 that departed Toronto on Monday, May 10 and arrived in Deer Lake on Tuesday, May 11.
Effective Saturday (May 15, 2021) at 12:01 a.m., a special measures order will be in effect, requiring all travellers aged five and older to be tested according to their self-isolation arrangements. This new testing protocol does not apply to essential workers and rotational workers coming from non-outbreak sites in Canada, as they would be subject to their own existing protocols. It will also not apply to any traveller in the province for two days or less, or permanent residents of the communities along the Labrador-Quebec border travelling to communities across the border who have not travelled beyond those communities in the last 14 days.
Asymptomatic travellers who can self-isolate fully away from others are required to be tested once near the end of the 14-day self-isolation period, on days 11, 12, or 13. Fully self-isolating away from others means staying in a separate dwelling (e.g., household, hotel, or rental property) or a completely separate area of the home with a separate bedroom and bathroom and no contact with anyone in the dwelling.
Asymptomatic travellers who cannot fully self-isolate away from others are required to be tested twice during the 14-day self-isolation period – upon arrival on days zero, one or two; and again near the end of the self-isolation period on days 11, 12, or 13. This applies to travellers isolating in a home where others are living, and where there is no separate bedroom and/or bathroom. In this case, the whole household must self-isolate.