FREDERICTON -- There are no new cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick for the 13th day in a row and 116 of 118 of the people who have had it have recovered.
The province continues to look for cases as it announced that it expanded testing criteria earlier this week, especially since it has loosed pandemic restrictions by allowing people from one household to visit with people in one other household.
"It is very important to stay in your bubble," Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province's chief medical officer of health said at a news conference in Fredericton.
A month ago, New Brunswick public health officials were projecting a much different story than the successful one they've been enjoying the last two weeks.
By this time, and under a best-case scenario, it was projected that 15 people would succumb to the virus. The worst case: as many as 132 deaths.
Instead, the province's "curve" looks flat.
Dr. Russell says new projections are not the priority right now.
"Right now our main focus is to continue to test at a high enough level that we can be confident in our results," Dr. Russell said.
Testing has ramped up as the province has done processed 525 tests over the last 24 hours, one of the largest amounts in one day, so far.
"Going almost two weeks without a new case of COVID-19, some may think we no longer have to worry about the virus," said Premier Blaine Higgs. "This is simply not true."
Despite a loosening of restrictions a week ago today, the city of Saint John is taking steps to ensure people don't forget there is still a state of emergency order in affect by putting piles of stones in two skate parks, and reinforcing the closures at four city dog parks.
"I would suggest that they are experiencing situations that aren't respecting the public health rules and therefore they are putting the appropriate measures in place to limit that activity, which they should do," Higgs said.
Public health officials are looking ahead to the next week to see if the loosened restrictions have resulted in more cases of the virus being found.