The provincial government is now expanding COVID-19 testing to include anyone with two or more symptoms linked with the virus.
Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald offered the update as part of the province’s daily briefing today.
Three new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the province, two in the Eastern Health region and one in the Western Health area.
That brings to 247 the total number of confirmed cases in the province, 229 in Eastern Health, eight in Central, four in Western and six in the Labrador-Grenfell Health region.
159 people have recovered from the illness. Three have died.
#NEW: government is expanding testing criteria again as of tomorrow.
Now, anyone who shows symptoms in-line with COVID-19 will be tested.
Positive or negative, if you’re tested, you self-isolate for 14 days.@VOCMNEWS #covid19nfld
— Ben Murphy (@VOCMBen) April 15, 2020
Many have questioned why the province has not been testing people with flu-like symptoms. Dr. Fitzgerald says that is changing.
Effective tomorrow, they will test all those who have symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
(Photo via Flickr through Creative Commons.)
Testing is being extended to include those who have two or more of the following symptoms; fever (including chills and sweats) cough, headache, sore throat, and runny nose.
Dr. Fitzgerald says 80 percent of the province’s confirmed cases are linked to local spread, while two per cent—or five cases—cannot be linked to a single source.
Seniors’ Advocate to Join Provincial Update
A new face will join the table at the province’s daily COVID-19 update tomorrow.
Dr. Suzanne Brake is the province’s Seniors’ Advocate. Premier Dwight Ball says Brake will speak about the resources in place to assist seniors and their families.
Premier Ball repeated that now is not the time to relax on current public health measures.
He cited the recent funeral home cluster that resulted in the transmission of COVID-19 to nearly 200 people. He says the virus is easily transmitted and travels quickly.
Health Minister John Haggie says residents need to “let time defeat the virus.”
