Newfoundland and Labrador declares public health emergency to deal with COVID-19

HALIFAX — Newfoundland and Labrador declared a public health emergency Wednesday while New Brunswick’s premier warned of harsh measures to come if people don’t follow instructions aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The move by Newfoundland and Labrador made previous recommendations from the province’s chief medical officer of health enforceable by law.

Under the order, businesses including bars, cinemas, theatres, gyms and arenas must close effective immediately and gatherings of more than 50 people are not permitted. Travellers returning from international travel are ordered to self-isolate for 14 days.

Health Minister John Haggie said individuals breaching the orders could be fined between $500 and $2,500 and could face jail sentences of up to six months. Possible fines for corporations range from $5,000 to $50,000.

“These are significant penalties,” Haggie said. “We hope we never have to use them, but they exist and if necessary, we will use them.”

Haggie said each day of non-compliance would be considered a new and separate offence. He said the order is for two weeks but he anticipates the order will be renewed “multiple times.”

The province is also limiting acute care facility visits to patients in obstetrics, end of life and children who are admitted.

There are three presumptive cases of COVID-19 in the province.

The tone of warning was also heard in New Brunswick, where health officials announced three new presumptive cases of COVID-19, bringing the number of presumptive and confirmed cases in that province to 11.

Premier Blaine Higgs said he was unhappy about reports of some businesses remaining open when they’ve been asked to close.

“This is not business as usual,” Higgs said. “If people do not close their facilities voluntarily based on our recommendations … then we will put the measures in place to ensure they do, because the safety of the general public is at stake.”

Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said she’s also still hearing of people going to house parties and of teens hanging out with friends despite calls for people to practise social distancing.

Russell said the coronavirus outbreak is unprecedented, and New Brunswickers must work together to slow the spread of the virus.

New Brunswick’s new cases include a woman between 60 and 70 years old who had recently been on a cruise and a man in the same age range who had recent contact with a traveller. The third patient is a woman between the ages of 50 and 60 who had travelled to the United Kingdom.

Nova Scotia reported five new cases Wednesday and said the province was now dealing with three confirmed and nine presumptive cases of COVID-19.

Of the five new cases, four were travel-related and one is connected to an earlier diagnosis. The 12 individuals affected range in age from their early 30s to mid-70s, and all are said to be doing well in self-isolation at home.

Premier Stephen McNeil announced that effective midnight Thursday, fitness establishments, gyms, hair salons, barber shops and tattoo parlours must shut down.

He also voiced concern about reports of people “taking matters into their own hands” in trying to identify those with COVID-19 or those who have travelled.

“None of this is helpful, in fact it may be extremely harmful,” said McNeil. “This is the time that we need to be our best selves. We need to be kind, caring and compassionate.”

In Prince Edward Island, which has one confirmed case of COVID-19, the chief public health officer announced that all non-essential businesses would be closed until further notice, with the exception of grocery stores and pharmacies.

Liquor and cannabis stores will be closed as of 2 p.m. Thursday, Dr. Heather Morrison said.

She said she advised the closures as part of the province’s move to provide essential services only so people can stay at home.

The Speaker of P.E.I.’s legislative assembly announced Thursday that the spring sitting of the legislature, scheduled to begin April 7, is suspended indefinitely.

Nova Scotia Health Minister Randy Delorey said the province is working to waive fees for retired doctors to be relicensed in order to bolster health-care ranks and is looking to bring in more nurses by hiring casual workers, recent graduates and retirees.

Doctors are also allowed to practice tele-medicine and video-conferencing in situations that are deemed appropriate.

“To support the public health directive to self-isolate, effective immediately employers will no longer be allowed to require any sick notes from employees,” Delorey added.

Meanwhile, Atlantic Canada’s largest children’s hospital, the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, implemented a no-visitors policy to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. No general visitors will be permitted to enter the hospital, although one support person will be permitted for pediatric patients and one support person permitted for women in labour.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2020.

— With files from Holly McKenzie-Sutter in St. John’s

Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press