N.L. has 4 new COVID-19 cases, and 1 more aboard cargo ship docked in Conception Bay
2 people are in hospital
Four more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador on Monday,in addition to one more crew member onboard the Federal Montreal cargo ship anchored in Conception Bay.
The four new cases in the province are:
- A man in the Eastern Health region between 20 and 39 years old who had recently travelled within Canada.
- A male in the Western Health region under the age of 20 who is a close contact of a previous case.
- A man in the Western Health region between 20 and 39 who is a close contact of a previous case.
- A man in the Western Health region between 40 and 49 who is a close contact of a previous case.
Contact tracing is underway. Anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine.
There have been no new recoveries since Sunday, and 1,038 people have recovered since the beginning of the pandemic. There are two people in hospital due to COVID-19.
The new case aboard the cargo ship brings the total number of cases on board to 13. Testing of all crew is finished. One crew member is in hospital, while the rest of the crew remain aboard, according to the Health Department.
There are 19 crew members aboard, from India, according to Jim Given, president of the Seafarers' International Union of Canada, who spoke to CBC News on Monday.
There are 56 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, including the positive cases on the ship.
Due to one of today's new cases, the Department of Health is asking passengers who travelled on Air Canada Flight 8996 from Halifax to St. John's on Friday to arrange COVID-19 testing.
Travel-related cases
The daily COVID-19 media advisories from the provincial government recently started to include the line, "We are seeing increased travel into the province."
CBC News asked for an interview on Tuesday with Health Minister John Haggie or Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald but a spokesperson said that wouldn't be possible.
"Some examples of the types of travel we could reasonably expect during this time of year are students returning home, residents who spend winters out of province, rotational workers and those traveling for essential work, and those moving to the province," said a statement provided by a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Community Services.
In April, 327 travel exemption requests to get into Newfoundland and Labrador were approved, out of 364 applications that were reviewed. That's significantly higher than the 199 approved exemption requests of the 207 reviewed in March.