Today (Saturday, November 28), Newfoundland and Labrador has two new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The first new confirmed case is a female in the Eastern Health region between 60-69 years of age.

The individual, a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, is a close contact of a previous known case. The individual is a member of the same household.

This case is connected to the recent cluster in Grand Bank. The individual is not a tenant of Blue Crest Cottages in Grand Bank.

The individual is self-isolating and contact tracing by Public Health officials is underway.

The second new confirmed case is a male in the Eastern Health region between 50-59 years of age.

The case is travel-related. The individual, a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, returned to the province from the United States.

Because of this case and out of an abundance of caution, the Department of Health and Community Services is asking passengers who travelled on Air Canada Flight 7480 from Montreal to St. John’s arriving on Wednesday, November 25 to call 811 to arrange COVID-19 testing.

Even if someone receives a negative test result, Public Health is encouraging all passengers to continue monitoring themselves for symptoms for a full 14 days from the time of their arrival in the province.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

• Fever (or signs of a fever, including chills, sweats, muscle aches, lightheadedness);
• Cough;
• Headache;
• Sore throat;
• Painful swallowing;
• Runny nose;
• Diarrhea;
• Loss of sense of smell or taste;
• Unexplained loss of appetite; or,
• Small red or purple spots on the hands and/or feet.

The individual is self-isolating and contact tracing by Public Health officials is underway.

The Department of Health and Community Services is providing an update on the three cases announced yesterday Friday, November 27.

The investigation into the source of the infection for those three cases is finished. All three cases are travel-related.

One case is an individual who came to the province from Europe, while the second case is an individual who came to the province from Asia.

While both of these cases were in the Eastern Health region, they are not connected to each other.

The other case from yesterday is an individual who was a close contact of a traveller who returned from work in British Columbia.

While this case was in the Western Health region, it is not associated with the recent cluster in Deer Lake.

The Department of Health and Community Services is also advising rotational workers about three identified COVID-19 outbreaks in Alberta. There are outbreaks at the Cenovus Energy Foster Creek oil sands project, the Cenovus Energy Christina Lake oil sands project and the Syncrude Canada Aurora mine site.

The department was notified about the outbreaks by the Public Health Agency of Canada as individuals from this province work with these projects. A list of worksites with declared outbreaks can be found online here.

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 COVID-19 testing. These workers must now complete the full 14-day self-isolation period, regardless of test result.

The rules for rotational workers from Newfoundland and Labrador who work in Canada that went into effect on Wednesday, November 25 do not apply to workers at worksites where there is an ongoing outbreak.

Newfoundland and Labrador has 32 active cases of COVID-19.

There has been a recovery in the Western Health region. This means 297 people have recovered from COVID-19. No one is in hospital due to the virus.

To date, 61,832 people have been tested.

Public Health is reminding people to strictly adhere to the orders from the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

People must remain vigilant and follow all Public Health measures to protect themselves, their families, and their communities from the spread of COVID-19.

In Alert Level 2, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians should continue to practice good infection prevention and control practices.

These practices include:

• Stay informed, be prepared, and follow Public Health advice;
• Wash your hands frequently with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds;
• Use an alcohol based hand sanitizer in the absence of soap and water;
• Do not touch your face;
• Practice proper cough and sneeze etiquette;
• Wear a non-medical mask in public indoor spaces;
• Maintain physical distancing;
• Increase cleanliness and ventilation of public spaces and worksites;
• Work from home, if possible; and,
• Stay home if you are sick and avoid contact with others.

Public Health is reminding people about the phrase People, Space, Time, and Place. People should always consider these four important reminders. They are especially important with the holidays approaching.

• People – The more people you interact with, the greater the risk of spread.
• Space – The closer you are to others, the greater the risk of spread.
• Time – The more time you spend with others, the greater the risk of spread.
• Place – Indoor activities with others are more risky than outdoor activities.

Public Health has prepared guidance on holiday activities. Holiday events or gatherings should be planned in accordance with Public Health guidelines. The guidance is available here.

People are reminded that COVID Alert is available for download free through the Apple or Google Play app stores. Public Health is encouraging people to download the app to help reduce the spread of the virus.

For the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19, please visit: www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19.

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Media contact
Tina Newhook
Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 728-2837
tinanewhook@gov.nl.ca