The number of active cases of COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador is 17 after five new cases of COVID-19 were reported yesterday.

Four of the cases are in the Eastern Health region and one is in the Western Health health region.

All but one of the ten people who died from COVID-19 in the Central Newfoundland region in October and November of this year were not vaccinated against the virus.

That’s according to Medical Officer of Health for Central and Western Health, Dr. Monica Dutt.

She says the deaths are connected to an increase in cases in the region at that time, but should not have been considered inevitable, since there are ways in which to protect against serious illness.

Dutt says most of those who died were seniors and many had underlying medical conditions, but she says vaccinations might have offered an extra layer of protection.

Dr Dutt says while the province has done well overall with its vaccination rates, she acknowledges in some areas the rates weren’t as high as others.

In those cases, Public Health tries to turn to local leaders to ensure they’re on board. She says some vaccine reluctance came from the mistaken belief that it couldn’t happen in certain small communities. Dutt indicates they have seen increases in vaccination rates following some outbreaks.