Yesterday, Tuesday, June 16, Newfoundland and Labrador has no new confirmed cases of COVID-19. The total number of confirmed cases in the province remains at 261.

The regional breakdown of the 261 cases is as follows:

• Eastern Health – 243
• Central Health – 8
• Labrador-Grenfell Health – 6
• Western Health – 4

Fifty-two per cent of cases are female and forty-eight per cent are male.

There is no one in hospital due to the virus.

Two hundred and fifty-seven people have recovered.

There have been three deaths from COVID-19.

To date, 14,921 people have been tested.

This week Nunatsiavut communities are celebrating the National Indigenous Peoples Day virtually.

We contacted each of the DHSD’s along the coast to see what activities they have planned for this year.

Terri Winters is the Mental Health and Addictions Worker in Hopedale.

She says they started daily online challenges yesterday and will be going on until Saturday, June 20th.

The challenges can be posted on the Hopedale DHSD page.

Winters says the challenge for today is throat singing, and tomorrow’s challenge is what makes you proud to be Inuk.

Friday’s challenge will be traditional dress contest, and on Saturday is share your traditional recipe.

She would like to add that there will also be daily prize draws and to remind everyone to be social distancing while doing the challenges.

Click here to hear more of the DHSD’s from along the coast to see what they have planned for the National Indigenous People’s Day.

Those looking to return to church, fitness facilities and bars might get their wish as early as next week, says the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

During yesterday’s COVID-19 update, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald said the transition to the next phase could happen next Wednesday, June 24th.

The guidelines for Alert Level Two are still being worked out by government.

While a second wave is being predicted by experts both across the country and within the province, Dr. Fitzgerald says avoiding returning to a previous alert level is the goal.

She says now, while the prevalence of COVID-19 in the province is low, is the best time to learn how to keep yourself safe while going about daily activities.

Maintaining physical distancing and practicing other personal measures will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 should more cases be introduced to the province.

She adds public health will be monitoring the situation for any community transmission or infections unrelated to travel.

She says we will certainly see more outbreaks, but if we can control them it would eliminate the need to revert to a previous alert level.

When the province enters the final alert level, it doesn’t mean business as usual for residents, but rather how life will look until a vaccine is developed.

Dr. Fitzgerald, says physical distancing and maintaining minimal contact with those outside household bubbles will continue during Alert Level One.

Fitzgerald expects the virus to circulate within the province again.

She wants people to learn the right way to deal with this virus and to remain safe while carrying on with our daily activities.

The minister of education says he will have a plan in the next couple of weeks outlining how they are going to get students back in the classroom in September.

In-class instruction for the province’s 65 thousand school children has been off the books since mid-March, but the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District hopes to bring all K to 12 students back in the classroom this fall.

Tony Stack, the CEO and Director of Education for NLESD, says their goal is to have students back engaged in face-to-face learning with their teachers. However, given the current circumstances, the board is also planning for online instruction as a backup.

Numerous questions were raised inside and outside the legislature yesterday about things such as social distancing, bussing, cleaning and human resources.

Education Critic and Bonavista MHA Craig Pardy told the House of Assembly his worry is that school will be delayed because of the time it’s taking to draft a plan.

The minister expects to have a full return to class come September.

Only one active case of COVID-19 remains in the province.

As of yesterday there were no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador since yesterday.

The total number of confirmed cases in the province is now 261.

There is one active cases.

The regional breakdown of the 261 cases is as follows:

• Eastern Health – 243
• Central Health – 8
• Labrador-Grenfell Health – 6
• Western Health – 4

52% of cases are female and 48% are male.

257 people have now recovered.

There have been three (3) deaths from COVID-19.

To date, 14,717 people have been tested.

The RNC is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing 42-year-old woman in metro.

Sherry Edna Andersen was last seen in the downtown area last Monday.

She is described as five feet, seven inches tall, 155 pounds with dark hair and brown eyes.

Andersen was last seen wearing a grey zip-up hoodie with light blue jeans and a black shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the RNC or Crime Stoppers.

A mystery oil spill occurred in the community of Postville last week.

Glen Sheppard is the AngajukKâk of the Inuit Community Government.

He says there was aerial surveillance and since then the oil has dissipated.

Sheppard says there were Environmental representatives from Nunatsiavut Government and the Federal Government and Canadian Coast Guard that came and stood by for assistance.

He adds that the investigations are ongoing.

Click here to hear from AngajukKâk Sheppard on more details regarding the oil spill in Postville.

Mark Solomon, a 49-year-old man from Nain, has been taken into custody by Nain RCMP following the report of shots being fired at two people in the community several days ago.

On June 12, 2020, Nain RCMP was informed of a possible shooting incident in the community that happened days earlier, during the early morning hours of either June 9 or 10, 2020. The detachment was not notified of the incident when it initially occurred.

The investigation led police to believe gun shots were fired at two individuals in the community of Nain. Those two people were not injured during the incident.

Solomon was arrested on June 12, 2020, and remains in custody at this time. He faces a number of charges, including the following:
• Discharging a firearm with intent
• Pointing a firearm
• Careless use of a firearm
• Using a firearm in the commission of a criminal offence
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Assault with a weapon.

Nain RCMP is seeking assistance from the community to gather any further information about this incident and is looking to specifically speak to anyone who:
• heard gunshots in the community between June 9-10, 2020.
• heard or witnessed an altercation in the area of Sandbanks Road and School Street between June 9-10, 2020.
• recently loaned, gave, or sold a firearm or had one stolen.

If you have information about this incident, please contact Nain RCMP at (709) 922-2862 or contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (TIPS is 8477), by Secure Web Tips at www.nlcrimestoppers.com, or by downloading the free and secure mobile app. Search the App Store for “P3 Tips”. Electronic tips submitted to Crime Stoppers are encrypted, entirely confidential and completely anonymous.

Improvements are coming to ferry services for residents in Northern Labrador.

The second season of the Kamutik W started over the weekend along with changes following a review of last season.

They have added online tracking for freight shipments, which allows customers to follow the progress of their orders.

All freight is now placed in containers to avoid damage.

As well, racks were installed in the freight shed in Happy Valley-Goose Bay to allow for better management and organization of shipments.

The weekly schedule has been revised to allow more daytime departures and fewer late-night departures.

The Department of Transportation and Works expects upgrades for the Makkovik wharf to begin in July.

Meanwhile, Labrador Marine says passenger limits on its vessels continue, along with other safety measures, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

There was a town cleanup held in Nain yesterday, Sunday, June 14, 2020.

It was sponsored by the NICG, CYN, and Recreation Department.

The Acting Afterschool Program Supervisor, Gwen Dyson helped coordinate the cleanup.

She would like to thank everyone who helped clean up.

The spring cleanup winners are as follows:

The Grocery Hamper valued at $250 went to Trevor Dicker
Another Grocery Hamper valued at $250 went to Tessa Dicker
Free Water & Sewer valued at $250 went to Ida Kohlmeister, and Kathy Ford won the 3 Bingo vouchers.

Congratulations to all the winners and good job in keeping Nain clean!