Three fewer people are in hospital in Newfoundland and Labrador because of COVID-19, according to statistics released by the province's Health Department on Saturday.

In a tweet, the Department of Health and Community Services said 15 people are hospitalized due to COVID-19, down from 18 on Friday.

With 283 new cases reported since Friday, the number of active COVID-19 cases in the province is at 2,583, suggesting 366 recoveries, although that was not specified by the department.

Of the new cases reported Saturday, 170 are in the Eastern Health region, 59 are in Central Health, 31 are in Western Health and 23 are in Labrador-Grenfell Health.

Saturday's update also shows 1,796 tests completed in the past day, for a test positivity rate of 15.8 per cent. Friday's rate was 21.4 per cent. Test positivity is the percentage of the COVID-19 tests performed that produce a positive result.