N.L. reports 15 new cases of COVID-19, largely related to travel
Presumptive case announced Monday in school on Newfoundland's west coast now confirmed
Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting 15 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, including confirmation of a presumptive case in a school on Newfoundland's west coast.
With five new recoveries, there are now 77 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Six of Tuesday's new cases are in the Eastern Health region, four are in Central Health, and five are in Western Health. Thirteen are related to travel within Canada and the other two are close contacts of previous cases, the Department of Health said in a media release.
On Tuesday morning, before confirmation of the presumptive case announced Monday, the department asked students and staff of Belanger Memorial School in the Codroy Valley to arrange a test, even if they did not have any COVID-19 symptoms.
"This testing is part of a public health investigation to determine whether there has been transmission within the school. Being tested is an opportunity to help protect the health of all school and community members," reads a media advisory issued by Western Health on Tuesday morning.
Belanger Memorial School is in the Codroy Valley and has an enrolment of 143 students, according to its profile on the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District website.
The department issued a batch of flight advisories in relation to the new cases. Public health is asking passengers who travelled on these flights to arrange COVID-19 testing:
- Air Canada Flight 678 from Montreal to St. John's on Friday.
- WestJet Flight 3422 from Halifax to St. John's on Friday.
- Air Canada Flight 7542, leaving Toronto on Friday and arriving in Deer Lake on Saturday.
- Air Canada Flight 678 from Montreal to St. John's on Saturday.
- Air Canada Flight 7542, leaving Toronto on Saturday and arriving in Deer Lake on Sunday.
- Air Canada Flight 8016 from Montreal to St. John's on Sunday.
- Air Canada Flight 7542, leaving Toronto on Sunday and arriving in Deer Lake on Monday.
Passengers can complete the online self-assessment tool or call 811 to arrange testing.
There were also five more recoveries on Tuesday: one in Eastern Health, three in Central Health and one in Western Health. One person is in hospital due to COVID-19.
To date, 136,615 people have been tested, including 317 since Monday's update.
How to book a test
To book a test, students and staff should complete the online self-assessment and referral tool here or call 811. When asked if they require a COVID-19 test as a result of an advisory from public health, people should select "Yes," and also answer "Yes" when asked if they're involved in the Belanger Memorial investigation.
Residents will be contacted to book an appointment time.
A temporary drive-up testing site is set up for Tuesday and Wednesday at at St. Ann's Social Centre in the Codroy Valley.
People can check their test results here and they will usually be available within 24 hours.
Anyone who has symptoms must isolate themselves, under public health guidelines. Individuals who do not have symptoms do not need to isolate themselves unless they have been advised to do so by public health.