Public health calls for testing of Mount Pearl restaurant patrons as N.L. reports 3 new cases of COVID-19

Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting three newcases of COVID-19 on Saturday, as public health officials callfor people who worked at or visited a Mount Pearl restaurant to get tested.

In Saturday's update, the Department of Health said one of the new cases is a woman between 20 and 39 years old in the Eastern Health region.The source of the infection is under investigation, and thedepartment said it will provide more information as it becomes available.

The woman is self-isolating and contact tracing is underway.

As part of its investigation into thiscase, public health is asking anyone who worked at or visited the Bigs Restaurant in Mount Pearl between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4 to call 811or use the province's online assessment tool to arrange testing. Anyonewho gets tested must self-isolate until they receive a negative test result.

The restaurant has been notified and will be closing until all staff are tested.

The second case reportedSaturday is also a woman between 20 and 39 years old in the Eastern Health region andis related to travel. The woman, who is not a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, came to the province from Quebec for work, the HealthDepartment said.The womanis self-isolating, and contact tracing by public health officials is ongoing. Anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine.

Lastly, a new case was reported in the Western Health region. A man between 40 and 49 years old, a resident of the province, who returned home from work in British Columbia. The Department of Health said the man is a close contact of a previously known case in the region.

The individual is self-isolating andcontact tracing is complete.

Presumptive case is negative, cluster investigation continues

Meanwhile, the Health Department alsoprovidedan update on the one new presumptive positive case of COVID-19 reported Thursday.

The case was a male in the Eastern Health region between 40 and 49 years old and a resident of the province.

"Following retesting at the provincial Public Health and Microbiology Laboratoryit was determined that this individual is not a case," reads Saturday's media release.

Public health continues its search for the source of a cluster in the Eastern Health region where, as of Saturday's update, has six cases.

There have been norecoveries since Friday's update. There are 17active cases in the province.In total, 81,799people have been tested to date, including205 in the last day.

Read morefrom CBC Newfoundland and Labrador