TODAY, Friday, January 15th, Newfoundland and Labrador has ONE new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The one new confirmed case is a female between 20-39 years of age.

The case is related to international travel.

The individual is self-isolating. Contact tracing is underway by Public Health and anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine.

The province has five active cases.

There have been no new recoveries since yesterday. Three hundred and eighty-three people have recovered from the virus.

One person is in hospital due to the virus.

To date, 75,973 people have been tested.

Today (Thursday, January 14), Newfoundland and Labrador has one new confirmed case of COVID-19.

The one new confirmed case is a male in the Eastern Health region between 20-39 years of age.

The case is related to international travel and the individual is a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The individual is self-isolating and contact tracing is finished. Anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine.

The province has four active cases.

There have been no new recoveries since yesterday. Three hundred and eighty-three people have recovered from the virus.

One person is in hospital due to the virus.

To date, 75,777 people have been tested.

The Department of Language, Culture and Tourism, with the Nunatsiavut Government will be giving away an iPhone SE.

For every person who does an Inuktitut recording for the IlinniaKatigennik Contest will have their name put into a draw until March 30,2021.

Any recordings are done over the phone due to COVID-19 restrictions and will be aired on OKâlaKatiget Society.

You will be compensated for your time for $50 for adults and promo for children.

Please note that it must be your own Inuktitut story to get the $50 and if you are reading someone else’s story or reading a book you will get $25.

This is for anyone along the North Coast and in the Canadian constituency.

For more information you can contact Robyn Martin at (709)922-2051 or email her at robyn.martin@nunatsiavut.com

There are six candidates running in the election to represent the Canadian Constituency of Canada.

They are: Darlene Gear White, Sabina Jung, Selina Brenda Legge, Zippie Nochasak, Susan Sonya Onalik and Patricia Kay Voisey.

The Nunatsiavut Assembly meets at least four times a year in Hopedale.

Ordinary members represent Inuit in their respective Constituencies, and may be chosen to serve as members of The Nunatsiavut Executive Council.

A By-Election will be held on Wednesday, February 17th to choose an Ordinary member to represent the Constituency of Canada in the Nunatsiavut Assembly.

OKâlaKatiget Radio will be speaking with each of the candidates in the very near future to hear more about their platform.

Year End Review for Oct 1, 2020:

A new COVID-19 case was reported in Labrador Grenfell Health on Sept 30, travel related from Saskatchewan to the province. Also NG support programs were suspended pending review and to be re-evaluated.

Oct 6, the Inuttitut Facebook Live classes concluded at the end September as a pilot project. NG presidential election opened today from 8am – 8pm.

Janeway Children’s Hospital Foundation raised $2,845,187 for the annual telethon.

Oct 7, the presidential election unofficial results were released, Johannes Lampe won with 1,015 votes and Andrea Webb with 533 votes.

Oct 8, All NG COVID-19 Emergency Relief Programs was suspended to be evaluated later with the exception of cleaning supplies.

Oct 9, additional MCP Services became available through MyGovNl platform to renew accounts for their dependents.

Oct 13, the dates for Flu shot clinic in Nain was set up to Oct 26-29.

Oct 15, Federal Government announced funds amounted $97,000 for the Nain Transition House. Also on this day, after two years the population of the George River Herd had increased to 8,100 animals compared to 5,500 in 2018, but the ban remain same since 2013.

Oct 20, another huge donation was announced that will arrive for all of Nunatsiavut towns, which was The Single Parents Association in St. John’s.

Oct 21, saw the Swear-In-Ceremony for NG’s President, Johannes Lampe at 2pm in front of the Illusuak Cultural Centre in Nain. Also at Illusuak at 5pm a supper was held for Residential School Survivors, and unveiled a residential School Apology Plaque.

Oct 23, the Nunatsiavut School held Jamarama Day to help fundraise for Janeway.

Oct 27, establishing the Mealy Mountains Park has been an issue for long time, and the first ever meeting on it was held in Rigolet and it went well with more meetings upcoming for March this year.

Oct 29, MasterCard Foundation made donations to the country’s 4 Inuit regions to help educational efforts during COVID-19, as a recipient NG purchased school supplies and learning materials for children to have at home.

Oct 30, the Nain Inuit Community Government celebrated its 50th Anniversary and due to COVID-I9 they had to prevent the gathering.

The annual Halloween Night went ahead and children went door to door, with much precaution.

Here is the September 2020 Year End Review:

September 1st, The Federal Government and school boards new format came out allowing parents of kindergarten children in their classes.

NG held a regular business meeting, which included an issue Torngat Regional Housing Association made without notice last week.

Also Education Minister said face masks were mandatory for grades 7 -12, and January public exams were cancelled and they were looking at June exams.

The selected occupants for the Seven-plex in Nain finally moved into the units.

Sept 2, two candidates were nominated for the NG presidential election, Johannes Lampe–Nain and Andrea Webb-Goose Bay.

NGC had quite a quiet year, having to change their work but Nunatsiavut Construction worked in Nain, Hopedale, Rigolet and up the Base Camp.

Sept 3, NG announced 23 moose licences were available for 5 communities and Upper Lake Melville.

Todd Russell returned as NunatuKavut Community Council President by acclamation.

The char and scallop fishery concluded and the plant smoked more char while the cleanup went ahead for 2 weeks. Makkovik plant was still busy with turbot and awaited 3 boats to land in their last load.

Sept 8, after 6 months passed, schools along the coast re-opened on Sept 9. And face masks was donated to both JHMS schools from DHSD.

Sept 10, The Personnel care workers restrictions were lifted and they were able to move from one facility to another.

The Nain Husky Centre’s repair’s was almost completed, while construction on the Air Strip was still ongoing.

Sept 11, NGC Solutions Inc. a subsidiary of NGC announced to cease operating the gas station in Rigolet on Sept 30.

Sept 15, MHA for the Torngat Mountains District was going to present a petition for the North Coast at the House of Assembly for fairer electricity rates.

Sept 17, VOCM Station was recognized by the Canadian Mental Health Association and awarded with their Media award 2020.

Sept 22, Canadian Wildlife Service’s did a research on the Lesser Geese Mystery in Nain.

Also a 3.7 magnitude quake shook the seafloor off Nutak, Labrador.

Sept 23, St. John’s Airport started Temperature Checks for all passengers passing through. And the Quebec Border was being monitored after 6 people were confirmed with COVID-19.

Sept 24, a huge amount of frozen meat was donated to Nain’s Community Freezer from Dominion store in St. John’s and was airlifted with courtesy of PAL and Air Borealis.

Sept 29, Halloween was a go ahead for children to go door to door in their towns.

The Nunatsiavut Government first assembly sitting for 2021 will be held in Hopedale on January 26th.

Roland Saunders is the acting speaker for the assembly he says that at this time a speaker will be appointed and a deputy speaker will also be appointed.

There are many agenda items to be discussed, including reports from each Nunatsiavut Government Departments and from each of the Inuit Community Government’s.

We will be speaking with Saunders later in the AtjiKangitut program to find out more.

TODAY, Wednesday, January 13th, Newfoundland and Labrador has no new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The province has three active cases.

There has been one new recovery since yesterday. This means 383 people have recovered from the virus.

One person is in hospital due to the virus.

To date, 75,412 people have been tested.

Every year the OK Radio informs our listening audience on the ice conditions along the coast.

Ian Winters is the Conservation Officer in Hopedale.

He says the ice conditions is fairly new yet but has froze over about 5-6 days ago.

They have been on the harbour for a few weeks or more and had some skidoos coming in from Natuashish, inland way.

Winters adds that the winter route is not safe and you can’t travel to south of Hopedale yet towards Postville way.

Glen Sheppard is the AngajukKâk for Postville.

He says the Ground Search and Rescue in Postville would like to notify their residents that one of their members tested the ice from what is known as lower Tom Oliver’s to just below Spruce point.

Please be advised that the white looking ice/slush is not safe to be on.

All due to the mild start of winter, for your safety, please pay attention to this and any other ice information in your immediate area.

Also please note that the white looking stuff you can poke a dart down through is only thick slob.

The federal government announced yesterday that it has secured an additional 20-million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine against COVID-19.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that means Canada will receive 80-million doses this year, thanks to their agreements with both Moderna and Pfizer.

Both versions of the vaccine require people to receive two doses. Trudeau indicates that Canada will have enough supply to vaccinate up to 20-million people by June.

Premier Andrew Furey says the announcement is great news.

Newfoundland and Labrador is making headway with its vaccination rollout—and is aiming for every resident wishing to be vaccinated to get theirs by September.

As of Sunday evening, the province had administered 3,700 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Meanwhile, the border between Canada and the United States will remain closed to non-essential travel for another month.

The Prime Minister announced today that the existing travel restrictions have been extended for another 30-day period—until at least February 21—while the pandemic continues.

Those restrictions have been in place since mid-March, 2020.