ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador is increasing restrictions in the province's western region because of an emerging cluster of COVID-19 cases.

Medical officer of health Dr. Rosann Seviour says as a result, communities in the Stephenville area and on the Port au Port Peninsula will move to Alert Level 4 today.

Under the second highest level of the province's restrictions, people are advised to stay home as much as possible except to get essentials like groceries and medications.

Seviour says 11 cases have been tied to the cluster in the western region, along with three presumptive positive cases without an identified source of infection.

She reported a total of seven new cases of novel coronavirus across the province today, including four in the western zone, two in the eastern zone and one in the central zone.

Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada health officials reported 20 new cases of COVID-19 and one new virus related death in Nova Scotia and nine new cases in New Brunswick.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2021.

The Canadian Press