With 28 new recoveries, N.L.'s COVID-19 caseload drops, but 8 new cases in Central region

Newfoundland and Labrador is reportingeight new cases of COVID-19 and28 new recoveries droppingthe number of active cases to 149.

All of the new cases are in the Central Health region. There are two cases in people under the age of 20, one person between 20 and 39, two people in their 40s and three people 70 or older.

There are also six new presumptive positive cases.

According to Public Health,87 confirmed cases are connected to a cluster in Baie Verte, while 59 confirmed cases are connected to the Twillingate/New World Island area.

Four more cases have been connected to a cluster in Botwood and Bishop's Falls. There are now 49 cases connected to that cluster.

Of the 28 new recoveries, 26 arein the Central region. Of the province's 149 active cases, 131 are in that region.

There are also 15 activecases in the Eastern Health region andthree in the Western Health region.

Because of the clusters in central Newfoundland,visitor restrictions are now in place at health-care facilities across the Central Health region.

Patients and long-term care residents in the following care centres will now only be permitted one essential visitor:

• Notre Dame Bay Memorial Health Centre, Twillingate.
• Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre, Grand Falls-Windsor.
• Baie Verte Peninsula Health Centre, Baie Verte.
• James Paton Memorial Regional Health Centre, Gander.
• Lakeside Homes, Gander.
• Lewisporte Health Centre/North Haven Manor, Lewisporte.

An essential visitor is a person deemed essential to the patient's needs, including for movement, decision-making and comprehension.

Other sites in the region will be allowed one visitor per patient. Visitor screening will continueand emergency services are not affected.

Twelve people are in hospital in Newfoundland and Labrador due to COVID-19, including five in critical care.

A total of 310,607 COVID-19 tests have now been completed in Newfoundland and Labrador, up 1,150 from Saturday.

The next COVID-19 update from the province is expected via media release Monday.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador