N.L. reports 61st COVID-19 death; 316 new infections add to caseload
Latest infections bring number of known active cases to 1,750
Newfoundland and Labradors said Thursday the death toll from the COVID-19 has risen to 61, just a day after the province announced its plans to wind down public health restrictions over the next month.
The latest death involves a woman in her 70s who lives in the Western Health region, the Department of Health and Community Services said in a statement.
The province also reported 316 new cases of COVID-19 and 261 new recoveries, raising the known active caseload to 1,750.
Sixteen people are in hospital — the same as Wednesday — with five of them in critical care.
By region, there are 224 new cases in the Eastern Health region, 37 in Central Health, 41 in Western Health and 14 in Labrador-Grenfell Health.
A total of 1,264 tests were completed since Wednesday's update, with a positivity rate of 25 per cent.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the province's chief medical officer of health, announced a phased approach to lifting long-term public health restrictions during Wednesday's COVID-19 briefing.
By March 14, all standing public health restrictions are expected to be lifted, including capacity limits, masking and proof of vaccination requirements. The lifting of public health orders, however, hinges on the province's epidemiology remaining favourable, she said.
