N.L. reports 64th COVID-19 death as hospitalizations rise to 18

Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting its 64th COVID-19 related death Wednesday, along with a slight rise in the number of people in hospital because of the virus.

In a media release, Public Health said the man who died was over the age of 80, in the Central Health region.

There are 18 people hospitalized as a result of COVID-19, six of them in critical care.

The province also reported 494 new cases of the virus since Monday.

The new cases, offset by a reported 200 recoveries, raisethe province's known active caseloadto 1,824.

A total of 2,123COVID-19 tests have been completed since Monday, with a positivity rate of 23.2per cent. The province has completed 506,109 tests since March 2020.

The province's next COVID-19 updateis scheduled for abriefing scheduled Thursday at 2 p.m. NT. Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald and Health Minister John Haggie are scheduled to take part.

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