Today (Thursday, January 13), Newfoundland and Labrador has 520 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the last media update on January 12. 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 and samples being sent out of the province for testing, an additional 166 cases are being reported today arising from these results.

The breakdown of the 686 cases are as follows:

In the Eastern Health region:

• Eighty-one under 20 years of age;
• Two hundred and ten between 20-39 years of age;
• Eighty-three between 40-49 years of age;
• Seventy-six between 50-59 years of age;
• Thirty-two between 60-69 years of age; and
• Thirty-seven 70 years of age and above.

There are 272 females, 246 males and one unknown sex.

In the Central Health region:

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

There are 29 females and 23 males.

In the Western Health region:

• One under 20 years of age;
• Eleven between 20-39 years of age;
• Five between 40-49 years of age;
• Nine between 50-59 years of age;
• Three between 60-69 years of age; and
• Twenty-one 70 years of age and above.

There are 26 females, 23 males and one unknown sex.

In the Labrador-Grenfell Health region:

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

There are 26 females 26 males.

There are also 13 cases that are the result of testing completed by a private lab outside of a Regional Health Authority:

• Three under 20 years of age;
• Six between 20-39 years of age;
• One between 40-49 years of age;
• Two between 50-59 years of age; and
• One between 60-69 years of age.

There are four females, seven males, and two unknown sex.

There have been 998 new recoveries – 570 in the Eastern Health region, 61 in the Central Health region, 52 in the Western Health region and 315 in the Labrador-Grenfell region, and 5,456 people have recovered.

There are eight people in hospital because of COVID-19, five in non-critical care and three in critical care.

There are currently 6,131 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. The regional breakdown of the active cases is as follows:

• Eastern Health – 4,437
• Central Health – 255
• Labrador-Grenfell Health – 990
• Western Health – 336
• Unknown RHA – 113

To date, 447,206 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. 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, 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