No new COVID-19 cases in N.L. for 3rd day running

Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 on Monday,marking the third day in a row of zeros.

There have been two recoveries since Sunday's update, leaving 50 active cases. Three people are in hospital.

Testing has plummeted in step with the province'spositive cases, with 166 people receiving a swab in the last 24 hours, the lowest total in nearly two months.

Monday's numbers were released via email, as there wasno live COVID-19 update due to the St. Patrick's Day holiday, which is observed by municipal and provincial governments.

It's back to school week:winter edition. Thousands of students from kindergarten toGrade 9 will be back in classrooms Thursday.Schools in the St. John's metro area closed their doors on Feb. 10, as COVID-19 cases soared. The remainder of schools on the Avalon were ordered to closetwo days later.

However, all high school students across the entire province will learn virtually for at least the next few weeks. Schools outside the Avalon region had reopened two weeks earlier, and 50 schools were using a combination of in-class learning and individual work at home, with no online instruction.But high school learning is now exclusively online for the time being.

Monday marks the third day of lowered alert levels across the province. The Avalon remains in Level 4, while the rest of the provinceis in the less-restrictive Level 3.

Eastern Health lifts some restrictions

The Avalon's health authority said Monday it's resuming some services and beginning to rebook cancelled appointments for testing and medical imagery.

However, it's still asking patients receiving cancer treatments or visiting the emergency room to come alone, unless the patient requires a support person, according to a media release Monday.

Patients in labour are also required to have no more than one support person during delivery, with two other visitors permitted after delivery. Children in hospital may have both parents visit, but not at the same time.

The health authority has listed the changes and restrictions in detail on its website.

An update on whether those levels will be loosened even further is expected by March 26.

Newfoundland and Labrador recorded its first case of COVID-19 on March 14, 2020.

In total, there have been 1,012 cases of the virus in Newfoundland and Labrador. Six people have died.

Read morefrom CBC Newfoundland and Labrador