Public Advisory: Update on COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador

  • Health and Community Services

January 11, 2022

Today (Tuesday, January 11), Newfoundland and Labrador has 427 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the last media update on January 10. Anyone who has tested positive must follow guidelines as outlined here. Cases are advised to notify contacts as per instructions on the website.

As a result of testing capacity being exceeded at the provincial laboratory between December 29, 2021 – January 6, 2022 and samples being sent out of the province for testing, an additional 323 cases are being reported today arising from these results.

The breakdown of the 750 cases are as follows:

In the Eastern Health region:

  • Ninety-four under 20 years of age;
  • Two hundred and forty-one between 20-39 years of age;
  • Seventy-three between 40-49 years of age;
  • Ninety-five between 50-59 years of age;
  • Sixty between 60-69 years of age; and
  • Forty-three 70 years of age and above.

There are 300 females and 306 males. All are under investigation.

In the Central Health region:

  • Five under 20 years of age;
  • Four between 20-39 years of age;
  • Five between 40-49 years of age;
  • Four between 50-59 years of age;
  • Two between 60-69 years of age; and
  • One 70 years of age and above.

There are 14 females and seven males. All are under investigation.

In the Western Health region:

  • Eight under 20 years of age;
  • Fourteen between 20-39 years of age;
  • Five between 40-49 years of age;
  • Five between 50-59 years of age;
  • Three between 60-69 years of age; and
  • Two 70 years of age and above.

There are 19 females and 18 males. All are under investigation.

In the Labrador-Grenfell Health region:

  • Nineteen under 20 years of age;
  • Twenty between 20-39 years of age;
  • Nine between 40-49 years of age;
  • Nine between 50-59 years of age;
  • Nine between 60-69 years of age; and
  • Four 70 years of age and above.

There are 39 females and 31 males. All are under investigation.

There are also 16 cases that are the result of testing completed by a private lab outside of a Regional Health Authority:

  • One under 20 years of age;
  • Ten between 20-39 years of age;
  • One between 40-49 years of age; and
  • Four between 50-59 years of age.

There are seven females, eight males, and one unknown sex. All are under investigation.

There have been 494 new recoveries – 114 in the Eastern Health region, 289 in the Central Health region, 90 in the Western Health region and one in the Labrador-Grenfell region, and 3,960 people have recovered. There are five people in hospital because of COVID-19.

There are currently 6,211 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. The regional breakdown of the active cases is as follows:

  • Eastern Health – 4,333
  • Central Health – 283
  • Labrador-Grenfell Health – 1,168
  • Western Health – 342
  • Unknown RHA – 85

To date, 438,960 tests have been administered. People can check their COVID-19 test results online here.

All of Newfoundland and Labrador is now in Alert Level 4. This Alert Level will be reassessed on January 17, 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.

  • Isolation for someone who has COVID-19 (tested positive or a close contact with symptoms) and fully vaccinated is reduced from 10 days to 7 days
  • Isolation for close contacts who do not have symptoms is as follows:
    • Fully vaccinated household contacts who cannot isolate away from the case is reduced from 10 days to 7 days;
    • Unvaccinated household contacts who cannot isolate away from the case is reduced from 24 days to 10 days;
    • Fully vaccinated household contacts who can isolate away from the case and non-household contacts is reduced from 7 days to 5 days; and
    • Unvaccinated household contacts who can isolate away from the case and non-household contacts is reduced 14 days to 10 days.
  • Household contacts should be tested 72 hours after the person in their household started having symptoms or, if no symptoms, 72 hours after they had their COVID-19 test.
  • Non-household contacts should be tested 72 hours after they last had contact with the person who has COVID-19.

These changes apply to all current cases and close contacts who are in isolation. Anyone who is in isolation longer than the new requirements can leave isolation if they have a negative test result.

Anyone that is a close contact of a case and has symptoms of COVID-19, should consider themselves a positive case and follow public health direction. They do not need any testing to confirm. Employers are asked not to require a PCR test for this category of individuals. Public health direction for positive cases can be found here.

Anyone testing positive on a rapid test should consider themselves a positive case and follow public health direction. They no longer need PCR testing to confirm. Public health direction for positive cases can be found here.

PCR tests are still recommended for anyone that is a close contact and does 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.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

  • Fever, including chills or sweats;
  • A new or worsening cough;
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing;
  • Runny, stuffy or congested nose;
  • Sore throat or difficulty swallowing;
  • Headache;
  • Loss of sense of smell or taste;
  • Unusual fatigue or lack of energy;
  • New onset of muscle aches;
  • Loss of appetite;
  • Vomiting or diarrhea for more than 24 hours; and,
  • Small red or purple spots on hands and/or feet.

Our Self-Isolation Assessment Tool can help you determine if you need to self-isolate or get tested. However, you should always follow the advice given to you when contacted by public health officials.

Wearing a face mask that covers the nose and mouth is required in public indoor settings for everyone ages five and over. Information on the Public Health guidance on masks can be found at www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19/public-health-guidance/guidance/masks/. In places where masks are not required, wearing a mask is strongly recommended, even when seated and/or physically distanced from other people.

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

2022 01 11 2:45 pm