HALIFAX -- As New Brunswick reports that it has no new cases of COVID-19 for the 10th straight day, it is expanding its testing criteria for the virus.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province's chief medical officer of health, made the announcement during a news conference in Fredericton on Tuesday.

"It is crucial we do more testing at this stage and with a broader range of symptoms," Dr. Russell said.

The new symptoms are:

  • a new onset of fatigue;
  • a new onset of muscle pain;
  • diarrhea;
  • loss of sense of taste or loss of sense of smell; and
  • in children, purple markings on the fingers or toes.

Dr. Russell said that in the case of children with purple markings on their fingers or toes, testing will be done even if none of the other symptoms are present.

The new symptoms are in addition to the original set:

  • fever above 38 C;
  • a new cough or worsening chronic cough;
  • sore throat;
  • runny nose; and
  • headache.

Dr. Russell said if anyone is experiencing any two of the 10 symptoms, they should call 811 and get instructions.

"This list of symptoms covers our current knowledge, but we are learning more about COVID-19 every day," Dr. Russell said. "As we continually learn more about the virus, and as symptoms are confirmed, they will be added to our testing protocols.”

New Brunswick also updated its mandatory order under the state of emergency to restrict temporary foreign workers from entering New Brunswick.

Premier Blaine Higgs said the province’s borders must remain closed for now because there are so many serious outbreaks of COVID-19 in surrounding jurisdictions.

“Under normal circumstances, we welcome foreign temporary workers as they play an important role in New Brunswick’s continued economic growth,” Higgs said. “But right now, the risk of allowing more people to enter the province is simply too great.”

This restriction does not affect the status of temporary foreign workers already in the province.

The province also put some rules in place to govern the travel of people going to other provinces to get university students, or to come to New Brunswick from other provinces to pick up students and help them move their belongings.

The rules are:

  • People may enter New Brunswick for a period of not more than 24 hours to remove belongings from a students’ residence. They are expected to isolate themselves as best as possible while in the province.
  • Staying longer than 24 hours is considered remaining in the province and the 14-day self- isolation period would apply. Before traveling to New Brunswick, people should check with their home province to see if further restrictions may be applied upon their returning home.
  • Anyone leaving New Brunswick for any length of time to remove belongings from a residence in another province is ordered, upon their return, to self-isolate for 14 days and follow the directions of public health officials.