Newfoundland and Labrador has reached 10 straight days without a new case of COVID-19.
With no new cases Sunday, the province’s total caseload remains at 260. By region, there are 242 cases in the Eastern Health region, eight cases in the Central Health region, four cases in the Western Health region and six cases in the Labrador-Grenfell region.
There are still eight active cases remaining in the province, as 249 people have recovered from the virus. Active cases are the total cases minus recovered cases and deaths.
By age, there are:
- 22 people with the virus 19 and under
- 38 between 20 and 39
- 38 between 40 and 49
- 58 between 50 and 59
- 57 between 60 and 69
- 47 aged 70 and above
Three people are in hospital, with one in intensive care. In total, 10,623 have been tested for the virus — up 98 from Saturday.
Long streak without cases doesn’t impact rules
This ten day stretch without any new cases of COVID-19 is the province’s longest since the pandemic began, but the milestone doesn’t mean the plan to reopen will move faster.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, Newfoundland and Labrador’s chief medical officer of health, has said the province intends to wait at least 28 days — or the length of two full incubation periods of the disease — between moving from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3.
“That has to do with [the] incubation period and clinical course of the disease,” Fitzgerald said during the daily COVID-19 briefing on May 6.
“That will not change regardless of how many cases we have in the province, and so that will continue.”
The province moved to Alert Level 4 last Monday. Following the 28-day plan, the earliest the province can make the move to Alert Level 3 would be June 8.
The move down a level can also be delayed if health officials don’t feel it is appropriate. Health Minister John Haggie has said the province can also move back up the scale if the situation worsens.
“What we have to remember is that if we do not practice the safety measures and the guidelines that we put in place, there is a real possibility of either going back or staying at Alert Level 5,” he said on May 4, before the move down to Alert Level 4 was made.
The province’s daily briefings will continue on Tuesday, following the Victoria Day holiday.
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