Newfoundland under lockdown following mass COVID-19 outbreak due to UK variant

Newfoundland and Labrador’s chief medical officer has confirmed the U.K. variant is behind the COVID-19 outbreak that has hit the province this week.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says she is moving the entire province back to its highest alert level.

“We’re back here for a little while,” she said. “I’m hopeful that we won’t have to lock down like we did previously.”

She says it is presumed that all of the more than 200 COVID-19 cases identified this week in the greater St. John’s area are related to the more infectious variant of the virus first identified in the United Kingdom.

Under the province’s Alert Level 5, gatherings of more than 5 people are prohibited and non-essential businesses are closed, as are restaurants, bars, and cinemas.

Premier Andrew Furey is urging people not to panic.

“Remain calm. We have gotten through an event before,” he said.

“Following Dr. Fitzgerald’s tried and true approach we will get through this one, as well.”

Fitzgerald would not comment on the impact of the announcement on the provincial election scheduled to proceed in 22 of the province’s 40 ridings Saturday.

There are now 269 active cases in the province, with 253 of them reported in the last five days.

“This is concerning, there is no doubt about it,” she said.

“We have seen how quickly this has spread in the Metro area. If we look at our epi curve it’s almost a straight line up right now and that is concerning. I can’t really sugar coat this for anybody.”