It’s been a tough few months on many without being able to visit loved ones in hospital, but today government is relaxing restrictions.

Early last week it announced that long-term care facilities were opening to six designated visitors/support next week, and it has now included hospital patients.

Each patient in a hospital will be asked to identify up to six visitors upon admission to acute care and will be advised by their nurse about the visitation process on the unit.

Obstetrics patients may have one support person who can stay for the duration of the mother and newborn’s stay and can visit as many times as they like throughout the day.

Additionally, four designated visitors are permitted after delivery to the time of discharge.

Children who are in-patients can have both parents visit at the same time, and there are no restrictions on the number of visits per day.

Additionally, four persons can be identified as designated visitors and they must contact the hospital unit before visiting to confirm the visiting time.

The new rules in hospitals and long-term care facilities take effect this morning.

Yesterday (Sunday, July 12), the province announced that there was no new confirmed cases of COVID-19. The province currently has one active case.

There is no one in hospital due to the virus.

258 people have recovered.

To date, 20,437 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.

The Torngat Regional Housing Association recently did selections on the new housing for this year.

William Lucy is the Coordinator for TRHA.

He says for Nain the selections were Stacy Dicker for a 4 bedroom, Joyce Merkuratsuk for a 2 bedroom, Rita-Ann Dicker and Tyler Harris for a 3 bedroom; they’re still working at repairs from last year.

In Hopedale they were Janette Pijogge for a 3 bedroom, and Rosie Boase for a 2 bedroom, and are still working on repairs from last year.

In Rigolet, there are 3 homes from last year that are completed and waiting inspections.

Lucy says they will then turn them over where they’re still working on a couple repair from last year.

In Makkovik and Postville, he says they don’t have allocations for inspections for this year yet and will only be going in when they’re ready for inspections.

The Postville Inuit Community Government is slowly starting its projects for the summer.

Glen Sheppard is the AngajukKak.

He says it is a very different year for all projects this summer, due to COVID-19, but work is starting in the community.

The office staff and maintenance crew are also back to work.

Sheppard says the summer projects include, clearing willows, some repairs, painting, further down the road place a guard rail, these are to name a few.

He says an investigation is currently going on the mysterious oil spill that occurred earlier this spring.

Click here to hear Sheppard talk more about their summer projects.

The Liberal leadership candidates are looking to make connections in communities across the province as August 3 approaches.

John Abbot says he intends to visit all 40 districts before the vote. Yesterday he headed out to speak to community leaders about their concerns.

Abbot plans to share his iternary on his website and social media accounts.

Meanwhile Andrew Furey has attended some virtual events this week.

Furey has invited to listen to the concerns of community leaders through an online discussion hosted through Municipalities NL.

He also spoke with NL Federation of Labour president, Mary Shortall on issues facing the province.

Courtesy VOCM news.

The Nunatsiavut Group of Companies is still accepting scholarship applications.

Currently the Nunatsiavut Group of Companies (NGC) website page is down but it is being worked on.

If you would like a scholarship application, please email info@ngc-ng.ca and one can be sent to you.

The deadline for scholarship applications is Wednesday, July 15th.

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador released details yesterday on a Pandemic Relief Grant that will benefit households in isolated Labrador Communities impacted by COVID-19.

A grant in an amount of $250 will be issued to 1,213 households in nine communities, Nain, Hopedale, Natuashish, Makkovik, Postville, Rigolet, Mudlake, Black Tickle and Norman Bay.

One-time funding in an amount of $331,000 is being provided by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and administered by the Labrador Affairs Secretariat.

The five Inuit Community Governments, the Mushuau Innu First Nation, the local Service District of Black Tickle, the Mud Lake Improvement Committee, and the Norman Bay Recreation Committee have compiled list of eligible households in their respective communities and each of them will be responsible for issuing the Pandemic Relief Grants.

The Department of Language, Culture & Tourism has been busy planning a few programs.

Shirley Jararuse is the Language Program Coordinator with the Nunatsiavut Government.

She says they got resources made for the daycare such as small Kamutik, a small taluk, and a small ulu so the children can be exposed to our culture.

She adds that they are trying to have some more virtual things on the go on their Tourism Nunatsiavut Facebook page.

Click here to hear more from Jararuse on her programs with the Department of Culture and Tourism.

The Makkovik Fish plant is in operation and snowcrab was landed on Wednesday, July 8.

Angela Chaulk is the Office Assistant.

She says the plant has two shifts on the go since the snowcrab was landed.

Chaulk says 5 snowcrab longliners landed in 50,268 pounds.

And added 40 plant workers are employed.

The plant is on working following the protocols.

She says they have a manager position out where Junior Andersen has retired.

We will have more information next week, plus from the Nain Fishplant.

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 50-59 years of age.

The new case is travel-related.

The individual, who is a resident of the province, had recently returned from the United States.

While on route to Newfoundland and Labrador, the individual was not symptomatic nor considered infectious.

The individual self-isolated upon return to the province as per public health guidelines.

The individual did not travel through the Atlantic Provinces on his return to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Contact tracing by public health officials is underway. Everyone considered a close contact will be advised to quarantine.

As the individual was not symptomatic during travel to the province and followed the self-isolation protocol upon his return, the risk to the public is low at this time.