3 new COVID-19 cases, as N.L. heads into long weekend

There are threenew cases of COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador, according to the latest information that the Department of Health and Community Services releasedFriday afternoon.

The new cases were all found in the Eastern Health region, bringingthe province's total number of COVID-19 cases to 239.

It is the fifth straight day of a single-digit increase.

Of those, sevenare in hospital.Two are in intensive care.

Seven more people have recovered from the virus as of Friday, bringing the total number of people who have recovered to 103.

Three people have died because of the virus. The latest death was reported Thursday afternoon, just hours after a regular government briefing.

Health Minister JohnHaggierepeatedly urged people throughthis week's briefings to celebrate the Easter weekend by staying home and staying apart.

"These gatherings are now dangerous. There are other ways of doing them," he said on Tuesday.

"Hope is a girl's name, not a strategy....We need to get this right.This weekend you won't notice the difference. Next week you'll notice it in 10 to 14 days' time."

By region, 224 cases are in the Eastern Health region, which covers the Avalon, Bonavista and Burin peninsulas.Eight cases are in Central Health, one is in Western Health and six are inLabrador-Grenfell Health.

By age:

• 20 cases19 years old and under.
• 37 are between 20 and 39.
• 33 are between 40 and 49.
• 52 are between 50 and 59.
• 52 are between 60 and 69.
• 45 are 70 years old and above.

As of Friday's announcement, 4,520 people have been tested for the virus across the province.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the province's chief medical officer of health, said more is being learned about transmission of the virusbefore a person develops symptoms referred to as presymptomatictransmission.

She said there is also now evidence that shows the virus can be transmitted by people who never develop symptoms, called asymptomatic transmission.

No daily briefings are being held Friday,Saturday orSunday, with Premier Dwight Ball saying that people needed a breakfrom around-the-clock work for close to a month.

That includes the other two regular faces of the daily updatesFitzgerald and Haggie in addition to communications staff, public health officials and other employees.

Read moreby CBC Newfoundland and Labrador