ST. JOHN'S, N.L. -- Health officials in Newfoundland and Labrador are imposing the second-highest COVID-19 alert level over a larger swath of the province as they try to curb a growing cluster of infections in the northeast region.
Chief medical officer Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says effective immediately, communities along the Trans-Canada Highway from Gambo, N.L., to Badger, N.L., as well as some communities along a number of nearby provincial highways, will be under Alert Level 4.
The new restrictions follow the government's choice to place a span of the province stretching from Lewisporte to Summerford under the same alert level on Friday when the cluster was first announced.
Health Minister John Haggie says some 300 contacts are possibly connected to the cluster due to sporting events, family gatherings and social events that have taken place over a large area in the central region, which includes the communities currently under level 4.
There are now 32 confirmed cases associated with the growing cluster.
Officials also announced four new confirmed cases of the disease today, bringing the active case count in the province to 88.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2021.
