N.L. reports 2 new COVID-19 cases but testing hampered by apparent cyberattack

Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting two new cases of COVID-19 since Friday but the Health Department warns some information is not available in the wake of an apparent cyberattack onthe province's health-care system.

Two new cases would represent the lowest three-day total for N.L.in months, but Monday's update comes amid the revelation the province is in the third day of problems plaguing its health information systems, affected thousands of appointments and procedures, including those involving COVID-19 testing.The department's COVID-19 media release reads, "Due to the IT issues being experienced by the health-care sector, some information was not available for today's advisory."

One of Monday's new cases is in the Eastern Health region and is a female under 20 years old, a contact of a previous case.The other caseis in the Western Health region, a man in his 50s related to travel within Canada.

In another indication of the problems plaguing the province's health-care system, the number of recoveries listed in the media release were not up to date, as is the norm. Instead, the release notes that as of Saturday there had been 10 new recoveries since the day before:six in the Eastern Health region and two apiece in Central Health and Western Health.

One person is in hospital because of COVID-19. With the number of new cases and recoveries available, the province has 91 active cases, down from 99 on Friday.

The department says its investigation into a cluster of 78 cases in Marystown cluster continues.

For anyone needing a COVID-19 test, the online self-assessment tool is unavailable, and the Health Department is directing people to call 811 instead.

As part of aninvestigation into a case in the Western Health region, Public Health is asking anyone who visited the Irving Big Stop Restaurant in Deer Lake on Thursday between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to arrange for testing.Anyone who visited the restaurantand has symptoms of COVID-19 is required to self-isolate until 24 hours after symptoms clear up and they receive a negative test result.

Public Health is also asking anyone who was on Air Canada Flight AC7542, leaving Toronto on Wednesday and arriving in Deer Lake on Thursday, to get tested for COVID-19.Any passengers who are symptomatic are similarly required to self-isolate until 24 hours after their symptoms resolve and they receive a negative test result.

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