18 now dead from COVID-19 in N.L., as province adds 4 new cases

A man over 70 in the Central Health region of Newfoundland and Labrador has died of COVID-19, public health authorities said Wednesday.

It's the 18th death from the disease in the provincesince the beginning of the pandemic.

A release from the Department of Health on Wednesday also reported four new cases of COVID-19 since Monday and two new recoveries, leaving a total of 13 active cases, up one since Monday.

Two of the new cases, a woman under 40 and a woman over 70, are in the Eastern Health region, with one connected to international travel and the other to a previously known case.

Two men, one in his 50s and one over 70, have also contracted the illness in the Central Health region, with bothconnected to previously known cases.

One person is in hospital due to COVID-19.

News of the latest death comes days before the province's next demographic group will start lining up for vaccines. Health authorities said Tuesday that clinics will inoculate children ages five to 11 with the Pfizer-BioNTechshot.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, chief medical officer of health,saidPfizer's clinical trials have shown the vaccine to be 90.7per cent effective in preventing COVID-19 infection in children five to 11, and no serious side effects have been identified.

Clinics will open Saturday, she said.

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