Presumptive COVID-19 case at Voisey's Bay false positive, as N.L. reports no new cases Sunday

The presumptive positive case of COVID-19 at the Voisey's Bay mine site in northern Labrador is now considered a false positive.

According to a news release from the provincial Health Department on Sunday morning, aninitial sample and an additional sample were tested at Newfoundland and Labrador's microbiology lab overnight,withboth samples testing negative for COVID-19.

The man, a worker at the mine between 20 and 39 years of age, initially tested positive on Friday.

Public health said it treatsany presumptive positives as true positive cases, and as such, contact tracing had already been completed.

Those who were in isolation as a result of contact tracing will be contacted by public health to follow up withnew information.

Prior to the news release from the Department of Health, Lake Melville MHA Perry Trimper andCartwright-L'Anse au Clair MHA Lisa Dempsterboth posted on Facebook that the case was a false positive.

With no new cases being reported Sunday, the province's total caseloadremains 291, with three active cases. The last new case of COVID-19was reportedOct. 26.

As of Sunday, 52,657 people have been tested, up 212 in the last 24 hours.

The false positive at Voisey's Bay isn't the first false positiverelated to a mine site in Labrador.

A contractor from outside the provincearriving at the Iron Ore Company of Canada mine in Labrador City tested positive on Sept. 12.

The Department of Health followed up on the presumptive positive case, with thetest returninga negative result the following dayafteradditional testing through the provincial microbiology lab.

Rugby resumes

As a result of the negative tests, the Newfoundland and Labrador Rugby Unionis lifting a suspension of play issued on Saturday.

The league put all rugby activities on hold, including all club and high school matches, and cancelled its Goodyear Cup final match after amember of the SwilersRugby Football Club was informed of possible exposure to COVID-19 while working at Voisey's Bay.

According to a release from the league Sunday, the Swilersplayer also tested negative for COVID-19.

The Goodyear Cup final has been rescheduled to Nov. 7. High school matches scheduled for Sunday won't go ahead, but will be rescheduled.

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