HALIFAX -- A recent influx in positive COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia’s Central Zone has some people concerned -- and some continuing care communities taking precautions to prevent the novel coronavirus from entering the facilities.

Nova Scotia reported two new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bumping the number of active cases in the province up to 20.

Both of Wednesday's new cases are located in the Central Zone and are close contacts of a previously reported case.

Nova Scotia Health says the new cases are not linked to a cluster of COVID-19 cases in the Clayton Park area of Halifax.

Still, those who live in the area are expressing concerns.

“I’m not really surprised that COVID is rising. I think it was bound to happen with everything going on outside of the Atlantic bubble,” says area resident Jessica Fres. “Kind of sucks that it is happening now, especially right before Christmas. I find I’m being a little more cautious again, especially with the cluster in Clayton Park.”

“I think it just kind of highlights how privileged we were to really not have that many cases for so long, and not really have to worry about it, and now we actually have to worry about it,” says Keiran London, who lives in the area.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise in the Central Zone, Rosecrest Communities is taking precautions and cancelling all home visits at its three continuing care communities.

“We just felt that we had to take some measures to make sure we’re able to keep our residents safe,” says Tracey Tulloch of Rosecrest Communities.

While family members can no longer take their loved ones home for a visit, Tulloch says residents can continue to enjoy indoor and outdoor visits.

“We’re just making sure that we can kind of track where our residents have been and what their exposures are and limit the exposures,” explains Tulloch.

CLAYTON PARK CLUSTER

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang first confirmed Monday that health officials are investigating a cluster of COVID-19 cases in the Clayton Park area.

Two of three new cases announced Tuesday are linked to the cluster. The cases include a close contact of another previously-reported case and another connected to the Bitter End Martini Bar in Halifax, where a patron who had COVID-19 exposed others.

Strang said there have been potential exposures throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality linked to the Clayton Park cluster, noting that Nova Scotia Health has issued several exposure advisories over the past few days, including one at the Bitter End.

Anyone who visited the Bitter End on Argyle Street from 9 p.m. to closing on Nov. 2 is urged to call 811 to make arrangements to get tested for COVID-19.

Despite the cluster of cases and exposure advisories, Strang has stopped short of confirming community spread.

“We’re at a point where we can’t say that there’s broad community spread, but we can’t say there’s not either,” Strang said Monday.

Meanwhile, the province is working on a plan to make testing faster and easier for people who are linked to the cluster and is also working to set up mobile testing in the Clayton Park area.

1,019 COVID-19 TESTS CONDUCTED

The Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 1,019 Nova Scotia tests on Tuesday.

To date, Nova Scotia has had 119,136 negative test results and 1,134 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of those, 1,049 cases are now considered resolved, and 65 people have died as a result of the novel coronavirus, leaving 20 active cases in the province.

There is no one in hospital due to COVID-19.

The province's confirmed cases range in age from under 10 to over 90.

Sixty per cent of cases are female and 40 per cent are male.

There are cases confirmed across the province, but most have been identified in the Central Zone, which contains the Halifax Regional Municipality.

The provincial government says cumulative cases by zone may change as data is updated in Panorama, the province’s electronic information system.

The numbers reflect where a person lives and not where their sample was collected.

  • Western Zone: 58 cases
  • Central Zone: 945 cases
  • Northern Zone: 76 cases
  • Eastern Zone: 55 cases

LIST OF SYMPTOMS

Anyone who experiences a fever or new or worsening cough, or two or more of the following new or worsening symptoms, is encouraged to take an online test or call 811 to determine if they need to be tested for COVID-19:

  • Sore throat
  • Headache
  • Shortness of breath
  • Runny nose/nasal congestion

SELF-ISOLATION AND MANDATORY MASKS

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 is required to self-isolate at home, away from the public, for 14 days.

Anyone who travels to Nova Scotia from outside the Atlantic region for non-essential reasons is required to self-isolate for 14 days and must fill out a self-declaration form before coming to the province. Travellers must self-isolate alone, away from others. If they cannot self-isolate alone, their entire household must also self-isolate for 14 days.

Residents of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador are not required to self-isolate when travelling to Nova Scotia, but they must be prepared to provide proof of their place of residency at provincial borders.

Visitors from outside the Atlantic region who have already self-isolated in another Atlantic province for 14 days may travel to Nova Scotia without having to self-isolate again.