Public Advisory: Update on COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador; Province to Remain in Modified Alert Level 4
Press Release
Today (Monday, January 24), there are 21 people in hospital because of COVID-19, 16 in non-critical care and five in critical care. There have been 335 new recoveries – 252 in the Eastern Health region, 24 in the Central Health region, 48 in the Western Health region and 11 in the Labrador-Grenfell region, and 12,805 people have recovered.
Newfoundland and Labrador has 349 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the last social media update on January 23. Anyone who has tested positive must follow guidelines as outlined here. Cases are advised to notify contacts as per instructions on the website.
The breakdown of the 349 cases is as follows:
- Eastern Health region – 274
- Central Health region – 42
- Western Health region – 25
- Labrador-Grenfell Health region – 8
There are currently 2,669 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. The regional breakdown of the active cases is as follows:
- Eastern Health – 1,844
- Central Health – 385
- Labrador-Grenfell Health – 127
- Western Health – 313
A total of 2,015 tests were completed since yesterday. To date, 470,445 tests have been administered. People can check their COVID-19 test results online here.
Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting its thirty-first death from COVID-19. The individual, a male in the Western Health region, is between 60-69 years of age. The department is sending its condolences to the family of this individual and asks everyone to respect the family’s privacy at this time.
All of Newfoundland and Labrador will remain in modified Alert Level 4 at this time. This Alert Level will be reassessed again on January 31, 2022. Information on Alert Level 4 can be found here.
Public Health has also revised isolation and testing requirements for people who have COVID-19 and their close contacts. Effective today:
- Fully vaccinated non-household contacts can follow modified self-isolation for five days after their last contact with the person who has COVID-19. This means they must stay at home except to go to school or work (unless they work in a high-risk setting). Modified isolation ends after five days has passed and they have their negative test result.
- Unvaccinated school-aged children who are close contacts and do not live with the person who has COVID-19 can go to school as long as they do not have symptoms. They must isolate for 10 days when not at school.
- Unvaccinated school-aged children who live with someone who has COVID-19 must fully isolate for 10 days and cannot go to school.
- PCR testing is no longer required for household contacts, or unvaccinated non-household contacts.
A flowchart with instructions for close contacts can be found here.
Anyone that is a close contact of a case and has symptoms of COVID-19, and anyone testing positive on a rapid test, should consider themselves a positive case and follow public health direction found here. They do not need any PCR testing to confirm. Employers are asked not to require a PCR test for this category of individuals.
PCR tests are still recommended for non-household close contacts who are fully vaccinated and do not have symptoms, and anyone that has symptoms but has not been identified as a close contact of someone that tested positive for COVID-19. Our Self-Isolation Assessment Tool can help you determine if you need to self-isolate or get tested.
As of January 22, 2022, fully vaccinated travellers are required to complete a COVID-19 rapid test once a day for five days, starting on the day of arrival in Newfoundland and Labrador (Day 0). Isolation ends when the first two tests, taken at least 24 hours apart, are negative. Travellers must take the remaining three tests for the three days after leaving isolation.
Modified self-isolation and testing requirements have changed for fully vaccinated rotational workers and air crew. More details can be found here.
Work-isolation and testing requirements have also changed for fully vaccinated essential workers. More details can be found here.
All travellers coming to Newfoundland and Labrador, including Newfoundland and Labrador residents, are required to fill out a travel form found here. The travel form can be completed up to 30 days prior to the travel date. Please submit proof of your COVID-19 vaccination by uploading it to your form. Further information for those travelling to the province, including isolation and testing requirements, can be found here.
The most up to date vaccine data and the number of vaccine doses administered is on the provincial COVID-19 data hub. Information on COVID-19 vaccines for Newfoundland and Labrador is available online here. Additional information on the COVID-19 vaccination rollout is on the websites for each of the regional health authorities:
Eastern Health
Central Health
Western Health
Labrador-Grenfell Health
Please continue following the proven Public Health measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19, please visit www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19.
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Media contact
Nancy Hollett
Health and Community Services
709-729-6554, 327-7878
nancyhollett@gov.nl.ca
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