HALIFAX -- There are 12 new cases of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 122, announced Dr. Robert Strang, provincial chief medical officer of health, during a news conference on Sunday.
All 12 new cases are travel-related, or connected to previously-confirmed cases, and range in age from under 10 to mid-70s. Cases have been identified in all parts of the province.
On Sunday, a pair of summary offence tickets were issued in the province for failing to comply the Emergency Measures Act.
Halifax Regional Police issued their first ticket under the Emergency Measures Act to a woman who was in Point Pleasant Park on Sunday. The woman was given a ticket with an associated fine of $697.50.
A 65-year-old man was ticketed by Truro police for failing to self-isolate for 14 days after entering the province.
"I am still hearing stories of people driving to our parks and beaches - even though they are closed. Grocery stores packed, groups out playing sports," said Premier McNeil. "These people are the reckless few and not only are Dr. Strang and I upset with them, their fellow Nova Scotians are upset with them. To those reckless few: if you won't do your part to keep physical distance to help flatten the curve, police will do it for you."
The new cases include a non-resident at the Magnolia residential care home in Enfield, N.S. -- the third positive case involving a long-term facility in the past two days.
The province says residents of Magnolia residential care home, their families and staff at the facility have been notified. While no residents or other staff are showing symptoms, some are now in self-isolation as a precautionary measure and close contacts are being tested. There are no cases of COVID-19 among residents of long-term care facilities in Nova Scotia.
"In all three of these cases, the individuals who were working weren't working when they were sick, but now we know that in the 48 hours before somebody becomes sick, there is a risk of them being infectious to others, so we are now doing our case in-contact follow up, including where people were in the 48 hours before they became sick," explained Strang during Sunday's news conference.
Three people are currently in hospital. Seven people have recovered and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved.
On Saturday, the province announced 20 new cases of COVID-19, including two connected to workers at long-term care facilities in the province.
Nova Scotia has seen 4,731 negative test results and 122 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at this time.
“The people who aren’t doing what they’ve been told and asked to do are putting the rest of us at risk, and quite frankly making this a longer, more difficult challenge here in Nova Scotia,” said Strang. “It’s in all of our hands. If we all do what we’re requiring and asking people to do, that gives us the best ability to minimize the impact in our health care system.”
