Active COVID-19 cases in N.L. drop to 5 as province reports no new cases
Newfoundland and Labrador reported 21 new COVID-19 recoveries on Saturday, along with no new cases for the fourth time this week.
The new recoveries dropped the province's active caseload to five known active cases, all in the Eastern Health region. The last time the province's active case count was this low was Jan. 27.
All of Saturday's recoveries are also in the Eastern Health region.
One person is in hospital due to the virus.
To date, 121,771 people have been tested. That's an additional 222 since Friday's update.
This week saw another step forward in the province's vaccination plan, as first responders rolled up their sleeves to receive their first shots of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald said during Friday's live COVID briefing that the arrival of the province's shipment of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine means first responders can receive their shots sooner than anticipated.
Additional priority groups will include border services staff, search and rescue teams, sheriffs' officers, corrections officers and other enforcement groups.
As of Wednesday, more than 48,000 doses had been administered across the province, as the first phase of the vaccine rollout plan winds down and Phase 2 ramps up.
Labrador-Grenfell Health will start vaccinations for first responders on Monday.
