8 new cases of COVID-19 in N.L., for highest single-day count in 2 months

Newfoundland and Labrador has eight new cases of COVID-19 on Friday the highest number of new cases since Feb. 25.

Seven of the eight cases are related to travel within Canada. The source of the other case is not known at this time and remains under investigation.

That brings the total number of active cases in the province to 33, as there have been twonew recoveries since Thursday.

The breakdown is as follows:

• Three men in the Eastern Health region between the ages of 20 and 30.
• One man in the Central Health region between the age of 20 and 29.
• One man in Central Health between the age of 40 and 49.
• One man in Central Health between the age of 50 and 50.
• One man in the Western Health region between the age of 20 and 39.
• One man in Western Health between the age of 40 and 49, the the case that is under investigation.

Contact tracing by Public Health officials is underway. Anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine.

There are three new presumptive positive cases in the province, one of whichis in hospital. Presumptive positive cases are not added to the active case count until they are confirmed positive.

'Increased travel' being seen

"While we understand the increase in cases is concerning, it is not unexpected given the epidemiology elsewhere in the country," reads a media release issued by the Department of Health on Friday afternoon.

"We are seeing increased travel into the province recently and encourage those traveling to the province to make themselves aware of the public health guidelines and follow the appropriate isolation protocols."

The release also states, "There is no concern of community spread at this time."

But it doesn't explain why the province is seeing increased travel, given people still need to apply for an exemption to come to Newfoundland and Labrador,and must isolate for 14 days, unless they are a rotational worker.

Since Monday, there have been 18 new COVID-19 cases in Newfoundland and Labrador.Seventeen of those have been travel-related, while Friday's case in Western Health is the only case where the source isunder investigation.

If you've travelled on these flights, get tested

The Health Department says due to Friday's new cases,people who have been on the following flights should call 811 and get tested for COVID-19.

Those flights are:

• Air Canada Flight 8018 from Montreal to St. John's on Saturday.
• Air Canada Flight 7540 from Toronto toDeer Lake on Tuesday.
• Air Canada Flight 7540 fromToronto to Deer Lake on Wednesday.
• Air Canada Flight 8008, leavingToronto on Wednesday and arriving in Deer Lake on Thursday.
• Air Canada Flight 8996 fromHalifax to St. John's on Thursday.
• Air Canada Flight 7540 fromToronto to Deer Lake on Thursday.

A full list of who is now eligible to get the vaccine is available hereand varies by each health authority.

According to the N.L. government's website, 160,402 people in the province had been vaccinated with at least one doseas of Wednesday.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador