Yesterday (Sunday, October 18), Newfoundland and Labrador have no new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The province has 11 active cases. 272 people have recovered from the virus.

To date, 48,658 people have been tested.

People entering Newfoundland and Labrador are reminded to adhere to the orders from the Chief Medical Officer of Health and self-isolate in accordance with the province’s Public Health requirements. Everyone has a part to play in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

In Alert Level 2, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians should continue to practice good infection prevention and control practices. Daily preventative actions can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

People are reminded that COVID Alert is available for download free through the Apple or Google Play app stores. Public Health is encouraging people to download the app to help reduce the spread of the virus.

For the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19, please visit: www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19.

The Makkovik Inuit Community Government is busy with some projects in their community.

Barry Andersen is the AngajukKak for the Makkovik ICG.

He says that they’re working on a new sub-division, which is one of the major projects.

There is also a contractor repairing on the Provincial Government dock.

Click here to hear what Andersen has to say about these projects that are happening in town.

The province is reporting 3 new cases of COVID-19 today, all related to an outbreak at the Canadian Natural Resources Horizon Oil Sands Pit in Alberta.

2 men in Central Health region- 1 in his 60’s, the other in his 40’s have been isolating since their return from Alberta. They are members from the same household.

The 3rd man is in his 40’s in the Eastern Health region. He too has been isolating since his return. Contact tracing for all cases is underway.

The Department of Health and Community Services is asking anyone who travelled on Air Canada 690 from Toronto to St. John’s on Saturday, Oct 10, to call 811 to arrange for testing.

There are now 12 active cases of the virus in the province. The total number of confirmed cases sits at 287.

Rotational Workers Advised to Self Isolate.

Meanwhile the Department of Health rotational workers returning to the province from the Horizon oil sands site must self isolate for full two week period, regardless of their test results.

Relaxed rules for rotational workers from the province do not apply to work sites where an outbreak has been identified.

NHL 21 cover star and release date revealed.

EA showed off the vibrant cover for NHL 21, which features future Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals as the main attraction.

This isn’t Ovechkin’s first to grace the cover of the popular hockey game. He was the cover star for NHL 07, but his career has only blossomed further since then.

As one of the best goal scorers in the game, he’s more than lived up to his nickname “The Great Eight” even adding up the Stanley Cup to his list of achievements back in 2018.

“It’s a huge honor to be on the cover of NHL 21 for the second time in my career, says Alex Ovechkin in a press release. More importantly, I’m glad I’m looking just as good on the cover this year as I did in 2007.”

The news also came with an official release date Friday, October 16th, for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (the game will be forward compatible and hit new-gen consoles at a later date.) Members of EA Play got access to the game a week early on October 9.

Yesterday (Thursday, October 15th), Newfoundland and Labrador has one new confirmed case of COVID-19.

The one new confirmed case is a male in the Western Health region between 40-49 years of age.

The new case is a close contact of a previous case. The individual is a member of the same extended household.

Because this individual was identified previously as a close contact of a previous case, he was already in quarantine throughout the infectious period.

This means there is no risk of transmission to the community.

Contact tracing by Public Health is completed. Everyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province to 284 with nine active cases.

Two hundred and seventy-one people have recovered from the virus. To date, 47,753 people have been tested.

In Alert Level 2, individuals should continue to practice good infection prevention and control practices.

Daily preventative actions can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

For the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19, please visit: www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19.

After two years of improved adult survival and a particularly good calving year in 2020, the George River Caribou Herd recorded the first population increase in over 25 years. The increase brings cautious optimism about the future of the herd, which has been under a full hunting ban since 2013.

While still only one per cent of the historic high of over 750,000 caribou, results from the 2020 George River Caribou census estimate population of the herd to be 8,100 animals, compared to the estimate of 5,500 recorded during the most recent survey conducted in 2018. Wildlife officials with Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture carried out the census this summer in partnership with provincial wildlife officials from Quebec.

Census data revealed 35 per cent of the population are calves, with a healthy calf/female ratio of 69 calves per 100 females. This is the highest calf production recorded in the past decade. As a result of improved natural survival and reduced illegal harvest, the decline in adult mortality since 2018 has also contributed to the overall increase.

Maintaining the hunting ban, along with careful stewardship, is essential at this critical point in the caribou population cycle. If adult survival remains high and environmental conditions continue to favour calf production, the herd will have its first opportunity to recover from these historic lows.

Nunatsiavut Government says beneficiaries are urged to continue to follow the George River Caribou hunting ban.

Greg Flowers is the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources for NG.

He says it could still be many more years before a sustained harvest can take place, even though yesterday announcement came the population of the caribou have increased.

It was encouraging news of the increase but we have to maintain a cautious approach when it comes to harvesting. We still have a long way to go.

To hear Minister Flowers talk about the increase of the caribou and the ban, click here.

Fuel prices are up across the board this week, with the exception of propane.

The price of gasoline is up by 0.6 cents a litre, while the price of diesel has jumped by 2 cents.

The prices of stove and furnace oils have gone up by 1.55 and 1.92 cents a litre, respectively.

The price of propane is not changed.

The IlinniaKatigennik Show will be back on the air on Tuesday, October 20th, 2020.

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

The IlinniaKatigennik Program is a contest on the OK Radio that airs every Tuesday afternoon from 3-4pm.

For every person who does an Inuktitut recording will have their name put into a draw until January 26th, 2021.

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 of $50 for adults and promo for children.

$50 for your own story in Inuktitut and if you’re reading someone else’s story or reading a book you will get $25. It has to be your own story to get the $50.

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.

On behalf of the Nunatsiavut Government and Beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement, President Johannes Lampe extended his condolences to the family and friends of a respected Innu elder, leader and activist, Bart Jack Sr., who passed away Tuesday.

“Mr. Jack was a true statesman who worked tirelessly for many decades to protect and advance Innu rights,” says President Lampe.

“He was widely known in all political circles and was certainly not afraid to stand up for his convictions. He gave freely of his time to help others, and was passionate about his culture, language and identity.”

President Lampe says he will remember Mr. Jack as someone who had an uncanny ability to handle every situation in which he found himself with a sense of proportion, and a straight-forward resolve to achieve solutions or to get desired results on issues affecting the Innu, and indeed, all of Labrador

“Mr. Jack’s passing is a huge loss for all of us. He has left his mark on so many, and while we mourn his death, we also celebrate a life that was well lived.”