Maritime provinces in different places as they try to control pandemic's fourth wave
When it comes to the ongoing fight against COVID-19, epidemiologist Kevin Wilson says each of the Maritime provinces is in a different place.
"P.E.I. is extremely stable and has kind of no evidence of community transmission which is great," said Wilson, who is based in Halifax. "Nova Scotia has kind of ongoing low levels of community transmission, the Halifax area and there's a small hospital cluster in Kentville. So, doing well at a low case but not as well as P.E.I. and New Brunswick is coming off of their largest ever epidemic."
Of the three Maritime provinces, New Brunswick currently has the highest number of COVID-19 cases. As of Oct. 26, there were 521 active cases. Nova Scotia has 134 active cases, while officials in Prince Edward Island are reporting just three active cases of infection.
New Brunswick also has the most hospitalizations in the region, with 40 people hospitalized and 19 of them in the ICU. There are 10 people hospitalized in Nova Scotia, one of which is in intensive care. No one is currently fighting the virus in hospital in P.E.I.
"Almost half of all of New Brunswick's deaths have happened so far in the month of October from the entire run of the pandemic," said Wilson.
He said things are improving in New Brunswick since the province put in circuit-breaker measures a week-and-a-half ago to curb the spread of the virus.
"Case numbers are coming down quite quickly, but the lagging indicators of hospitalizations, people in ICU beds and probably most noticeably deaths, deaths come after infections and so those are going to be elevated for a little while longer as those case numbers come down," said Wilson.
Both P.E.I. and New Brunswick dropped their mandatory masking requirements in July, only to reinstate them last month. Nova Scotia has not dropped its masking mandate since it was first implemented last summer.
Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, said Tuesday although COVID-19 case numbers fluctuate in the province, Nova Scotia is in a stable place.
"We still have to remain cautious. We're still in the middle of a fourth wave and it would be a mistake to relax and loosen things up too early," he said.
Strang said national models indicate Canada could be at or just past the peak of the fourth wave.
"I'm cautiously optimistic that as we get into 2022 we'll start to really be able to move more into this endemic phase," said Strang. "We're getting through the fourth wave, doing it quite safely and doing well in Nova Scotia but we need to, kind of, stick with the program, if you will, for the weeks to come."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.