N.L. records no new COVID-19 cases for the first time in weeks

There are no new cases of COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador on Thursday, marking the first day the province has gone without a new case in more than two weeks 

The last day without a new case was Nov. 16.

Thursday also saw a new recovery from the virus in the Western Health region, according to a press release from the Department of Health, bringing the active number of cases in the province to 29.

The start of December has brought with it a continued drop in overall cases in the province, with four recoveries noted on both Wednesday and Tuesday of this week.

The province's total number of cases since the pandemic reached N.L. in March remains 340, with 307 recoveries and four deaths.

Health Minister John Haggie has found himself at the eye of a social media storm, centred around his headlining of a fundraiser for his district's Liberal Association the night before at a country club in St. John's.

Haggie attended the reception hours after warning against some holiday gatherings, and despite a barrage of online criticism, has maintained his event followed all proper public health guidelines and procedures.

In an interview with CBC News Thursday afternoon, Haggie offered an apology.

He will speak to the province's pandemic situation again at the week's final live briefing Friday.

Some 63,527 people in the province have been tested for the virus, an increase of 364 in the last 24 hours.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador