Today’s provincial COVID-19 update revealed there are two new confirmed cases in Newfoundland and Labrador and that separately, the Department of Health and Community Services is asking people who travelled on a couple of flights on the St. John’s-Montreal route in late January to get tested.

Both of the new confirmed cases are male residents of the province in the Western Health region and both cases are travel-related.

One involves a man between 50 and 59 and is related to international travel. The other is that of a man in the 60-69 age range who returned to the province from work in British Columbia. 

Both men are self-isolating and contact-tracing is underway.

With one new recovery in the Eastern Health region, it means the province’s total number of active cases stands at 14, with one person in hospital.

Meanwhile, the health department wants passengers who travelled on two Air Canada flights last month to arrange for testing.

Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says the request is being made out of caution after officials here were made aware of a confirmed case of COVID-19 in a traveller on these flights to and from the province, leading to the possibility of potential exposure to other passengers.

The flights involved:  

• Air Canada Flight 7480 from Montreal to St. John’s, Friday, Jan.22.
• Air Canada Flight 7481 from St. John’s to Montreal, Sunday, Jan. 24.

The individual question is no longer in this province and this particular case is not related to any confirmed cases in Newfoundland and Labrador at this time. 

Dr. Fitzgerald also reported officials have not yet identified the infection source for a cluster of five cases in the Eastern region last week, but noted contact-tracing associated with the cluster has led to more than 200 people in self-isolation after being tested and that all tests results to date have been negative.