N.L. to hold unplanned briefing at 1 p.m. NT to discuss schools amid growing COVID-19 outbreak
CBC
Newfoundland and Labrador officials will hold an unplanned briefing at 1 p.m. to provide an update on schools amid an ongoing spike in COVID-19 cases currently blanketing the entire province.
In a statement to media, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said officials aren't planning to change alert levels. The province is currently under Alert Level 3, which limits household contacts to 20 people and has shuttered entertainment venues and bars.
Premier Andrew Furey, Health Minister John Haggie, Education Minister Tom Osborne and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald are slated to attend.
As of Tuesday the province had 843 active cases, with the virus reaching into smaller Labrador communities, which continue to uncover more presumptive infections.
The Nain Inuit Community Government (NICG) announced Monday night it was informed by the Nunatsiavut Government that there is one positive case of COVID-19 in the community and nine more are presumed positive.
The NICG is urging residents to stay home and within their bubbles unless it's absolutely necessary to venture out. The government is also asking travellers to stay away from the community unless it's for essential purposes.
In its own media release, the Nunatsiavut Government said it's continuing contact tracing, and it's anticipating more presumptive positive cases will be found in the coming days, although health workers have encountered challenges getting their hands on supplies.
In a statement to CBC News on Tuesday, the Department of Health said flight delays due to weather had prohibited resupply of COVID-19 test supplies in northern communities on Monday.
Flights resumed Tuesday, but on Wednesday morning Air Borealis tweeted that flights to coastal Labrador were on hold because conditions remain poor across the region.
The Health Department said Fitzgerald, Labrador-Grenfell Health and the Nunatsiavut Government are continuing to monitor the situation.
"We understand this is concerning for those who live in coastal Labrador communities. Please be assured, providing increased COVID-19 testing for communities in the region is a priority for government," the department said.
The Nunatsiavut Government said cases and contacts are being prioritized, along with those who are symptomatic, for testing.
Tests carried out in other Labrador Inuit communities on Monday have all returned negative results, the government said, adding, effective immediately, all Nunatsiavut Government offices in Nain are closed to the public.
Non-essential travel to, from and between Labrador Inuit communities is also being discouraged.
With the final days of 2025 rapidly falling to the wayside, Canadians are likely taking stock of the last 12 months.
A new study finds that more than half of the most dangerous winter roads in Canada are in Ontario, with weather, wildlife, and urban factors contributing to collisions.
Welcome to everyone's least favourite time of year for air travel.
For some, the holiday season means packing their bags to spend time with loved ones, some of whom are half a world away.
The IWK is urging people in the Maritimes to get vaccinated for the flu after reporting a big increase in the number of children coming to emergency rooms with flu-like symptoms.
J.D. Irving has secured an agreement to sell power from the large wind farm it's building in western New Brunswick to N.B. Power.
One of the most influential voices advocating for Quebec's Lower North Shore region has fallen silent. Randy Jones, a political figure and ardent defender of his region, has died. He was 69.
Some health-care leaders are questioning how Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew can confidently declare his government will end long waits for health-care services by the end of 2026.
The Carlyle Observer, a small-town weekly newspaper, has folded after nearly 90 years in operation.
Trevor Allen didn’t worry about who had the most extravagant decorations or brightest bulbs.
Alberta's transportation minister could hear the horns blaring from inside his office.
A single northbound lane on the long-awaited Pattullo Bridge replacement has opened to traffic, marking the first step in a phased opening process.
The Yukon has been grappling with an extreme cold weather system that's pushing the power grid to the brink because it can't keep up with demand.