Fitzgerald cuts maximum size of informal gatherings to 20 as holidays near
CBC News | Posted: December 9, 2020 3:17 PM | Last Updated: December 9, 2020
N.L. reporting 1 new case of COVID-19 and 9 new recoveries
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer of health is cutting the maximum number of people allowed for informal gatherings, as families firm up plans for Christmas and other holiday celebrations.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald told Wednesday's COVID-19 briefing that the maximum size of gatherings will be 20, down from 50, effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday.
Informal gatherings include family dinners and house parties, for example, while guidelines for businesses and groups hosting public events remain unchanged.
The announcement comes as the province reports one new travel-related case of COVID-19, a man between 20 and 39 years old in the Eastern Health region who travelled to the province from Asia. The Department of Health says he is self-isolating and contact tracing is complete.
The Department of Health also reported nine new recoveries on Wednesday, dropping the active caseload to 20.
"Making this change provides greater clarity to those looking for guidance and adds another layer of protection against COVID-19," Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald said public health is still unable to identify the source of transmission in cases reported in the Central Health region on the weekend.
"In public health we call this a non-epidemiologically linked case, and it indicates to us that there is, or was, a case of COVID that we did not know about," she said.
Watch the full Dec. 9 update:
Fitzgerald said there are several reasons public health could have been unaware of the case: the person may not have had symptoms, may have left the province before being diagnosed, or may have assumed it was a cold and didn't seek testing.
Starting today, Central Health is advising people in Harbour Breton who have travelled outside of the province since Nov. 9, and those who have even mild symptoms, to book an appointment for testing through 811.
As of Wednesday's update 65,333 people have been tested in the province, up 366 since Tuesday. The total number of cases in the province since March is 353.
'It's always concerning,' says Fitzgerald
Testing for the virus in Harbour Breton continues, via a mobile testing site. Health Minister John Haggie said Monday the health centre in Harbour Breton has potentially been exposed to COVID-19, with two positive tests from staff from last weekend.
One of the health-care workers provides hands-on care, while the other is in an administrative role.
Fitzgerald said public health is still working to find the source, and the investigation continues as health officials ask for more people in the community to get tested. But, she added, cases that cannot be connected through epidemiology are always a concern.
"We're tracking down every lead that comes our way. But sometimes we don't. We do end up with a situation where we can't find the source of the case, and that has happened here on a few occasions in the past," she said.
"It's always concerning because I think this should demonstrate to all of us that no matter where you are, there is always that chance that COVID can be around you."
Fitzgerald said this case a reminder to remain vigilant to prevent further onward spread.
On Wednesday, Haggie said roughly 1,000 rapid COVID-19 tests are on the way to the community, with staff training to be finished by the end of Thursday.
"It will be available for rapid results for the people of Harbour Breton Friday morning," he said. "People who are eligible — and the criteria are going to be enlarged somewhat — should call 811."
Haggie added there is a regular supply of the rapid tests coming in, and more available through the federal government.
Alberta's 'devastating' measures
Meanwhile, after repeatedly recording new daily records of COVID-19 cases, Alberta — a province where many people from Newfoundland and Labrador travel for work — is enacting sweeping new restrictions on businesses and other places, but also rules around seeing friends and family members.
Specifically, the provincial government there has:
- Banned all outdoor and indoor social gatherings.
- Imposed mandatory work-from-home measures.
- Ordered the closure of all casinos and gyms.
- Banned dine-in service at restaurants and bars.
- Imposed a mandatory provincewide mask requirement.
Indoor and outdoor social close contact, like celebrating Christmas, will be limited to those in the same household, can only be celebrated with people in your own household while people who live alone may still have up to two non-household close contacts.
"If we relax the public health measures to permit large family gatherings in just three weeks' time, we will, without a shadow of a doubt, see a large increase in hospitalizations and fatalities," Premier Jason Kenney said at a news conference Tuesday.
"We simply cannot let this Christmas turn into a tragedy for many families."
On Tuesday, Alberta reported 1,727 new cases of COVID-19 and set another record with 20,388 active cases.
Across the province, 654 people were being treated in hospitals for COVID-19, including 112 in intensive-care units.
The hospitalization numbers have grown by 600 per cent since the last week of October, Kenney said.
Clarifications:- A previous version of this story reported Dr. Janice Fitzgerald had reduced gathering size limits to 20. While Dr. Fitzgerald did reduce the capacity for informal gatherings, the rules for formal gatherings have not changed. December 9, 2020 7:54 PM