N.L. reports 1 more death from COVID-19, bringing total to 46

Another resident of Newfoundland and Labrador has died from COVID-19, bringing the number of total deaths since the beginning of the pandemic to 46.

The death was a man from the Eastern Health region in his 60s, according to a news release from the Health Department on Monday.

Health officials also reported that 22 people are currently in hospital as a result of COVID-19, including six in critical care. That number is up one from Sunday, but the number of people in critical care wasn't reported over the weekend.

A total of 166 new cases of the virus were reported in the release: 89 cases in the Eastern Health region, 35 in the Central Health region, 26 in the Labrador-Grenfell Health region and 16 in the Western Health region.

There are 1,525 known active cases in the province, as 197 recoveries were reported.

The province completed 965 COVID-19 tests since Sunday, which puts the test positivity rate at 17.2 per cent. A total of 488,967 tests have been completed since March 2020.

Newfoundland and Labrador moved into a modified version of Alert Level 3 Monday morning, which brings changes to some restrictions affecting businesses and gatherings.

Effective today, gyms, fitness facilities, restaurants and bars can operate at 50 per cent capacity. Movie theatres, bingo halls and other performance spaces can operate at 25 per cent or 50 people, whichever is less, but food and drink can't be served.

Informal gatherings are now limited to a person's "steady 20," meaning a group of 20 close, consistent contacts. Funerals, burials, weddings and religious ceremonies follow the same rules as performance spaces, with wakes still prohibited.

The province will stay in Alert Level 3 for at least two weeks, according to Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, who said further changes could come on Feb. 21 provided case numbers and hospitalization rates allow.

Newfoundland and Labrador's next COVID-19 update will come with a live briefing on Tuesday, scheduled for 2 p.m. NT. Fitzgerald, Premier Andrew Furey and Health Minister John Haggie will take part in the briefing.

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