NB COVID update: still no cases, more testing called for
New Brunswick is continuing its streak of no new reported cases of COVID-19 in the province. As of Monday it’s been 9 days without a new reported case. Chief Medical Officer of Health Jennifer Russell shared the good news in yesterday’s briefing, but not without some reservations.
“We are no where near ready to declare victory over the COVID-19 virus, as heartening as it is to report no new cases,” Russell said. “COVID-19 is still with us. It will be with us for a very long time. And we need to be able to accurately track its progress and contain outbreaks when they emerge until a vaccine or other treatment becomes widely available.”
Russell asked New Brunswickers to make sure they are getting tested when they need to. Currently, anyone with two of the following five symptom should be getting tested:
- a fever above 39 degrees Celsius
- a persistent cough
- a sore throat,
- a headache,
- and a runny nose.
Russell said the number of symptoms that trigger testing may be adjusted down in the coming days, to ensure that people are indeed getting tested. The province’s testing capacity is 1000 tests per day, however current testing numbers are not reaching that threshold. Currently, New Brunswick has completed just over 13,000 tests across the province, or about 17 tests for every 100 people. That’s on par with other provinces where the outbreak has been small. Russell said capacity will go up to 2000 in the weeks to come.… Continue