A big spike in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the province today.

Five new cases are being reported, all are travel-related.

There are four cases in the Eastern Health region – a man in his 50s, a man and woman, between the ages of 20 and 39, and a man below the age of 19.

The man in his 50s had returned to the province from work in Alberta. The man and woman, as well as the young male, are not residents of Newfoundland and Labrador had come to the province from Asia.

There is one case in the Central Health region involving a man between 20 and 39. He had returned to the province from work in Alberta.

Public health officials have issued an advisory to passengers who arrived in St. John’s from Toronto on Air Canada flight 696 on December 13th. They’re being asked to call 811 to arrange for COVID testing.

There are two recoveries since yesterday, leaving 23 active cases in the province.

Read the article on VOCM here.