Today (Friday, January 29), Newfoundland and Labrador has four new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The first new confirmed case is a female in the Eastern Health region under 19 years of age. The case is related to international travel. It is not connected to the cluster announced yesterday. The individual, a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, is self-isolating. Contact tracing is underway.

The second new confirmed case is a male in the Central Health region between 40-49 years of age. The case is travel related. The individual, a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, returned to the province from work in Nunavut. The individual is self-isolating. Contact tracing is underway.

The third new confirmed case is a female in the Eastern Health region under 19 years of age. The case is a close contact of a previous known case and is connected to the cluster. The individual, a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, is a member of the same household. It is not the suspected daycare case.

There are five confirmed cases of COVID-19 associated with the cluster. The investigation into the source of the infection is continuing.

The suspected case in a daycare continues to be treated as a suspected case of COVID-19. It has not yet been confirmed by Public Health as a positive case. No children or staff at the daycare have tested positive for the virus at this time.

The fourth new confirmed case is a male in the Central Health region between 20-39 years of age. The case is associated with the two confirmed cases on the MV Blue Puttees. The individual is employed with Marine Atlantic. The individual is self-isolating. Contact tracing is underway.

As a result of this case, Public Health is again asking passengers who travelled on the MV Blue Puttees to and from North Sydney, Nova Scotia and Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador between Tuesday, December 29 and Saturday, January 16 to arrange COVID-19 testing.

Passengers who travelled on the MV Blue Puttees can arrange testing by completing the online self-assessment and referral tool or by calling 811. The online self-assessment and referral tool is available here.

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.

People are reminded to follow the Special Measures Orders of the Chief Medical Officer of Health for isolation requirements. Following a negative test result, individuals who are currently self-isolating should continue to do so for the full 14 days. All passengers should continue to monitor themselves for symptoms for a full 14 days from the time of their arrival in the province.

The province has 13 active cases of COVID-19.

There have been no new recoveries since yesterday meaning 388 people have recovered from the virus.

One person is in hospital.

To date, 79,289 people have been tested.

Public Health strongly encourages people to download COVID Alert to help reduce the spread of the virus. It is available for free through the Apple or Google Play app stores.

Public Health is reminding people to strictly adhere to the orders of 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.

Public Health is reminding people about the phrase People, Space, Time, and Place. People should always consider these four important reminders.

• 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.

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.

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