N.S. reports 57 people in hospital due to COVID-19 Friday, 10 in intensive care

Six more people have been admitted to hospital in Nova Scotia due to COVID-19, along with six others discharged.

In a news release Friday, public health says there are currently 57 people in hospital who were admitted due to COVID-19 and are receiving specialized care in a COVID-19 designated unit.

Of the 57 in hospital:

• 10 people are in intensive care
• the average age is 65
• 54 were admitted during the Omicron wave

Health officials say the average length of stay for those admitted to hospital in Nova Scotia is six days.

The vaccination status of those in hospital is as follows:

• five (8.8 per cent) people have had a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine
• 34 (59.6 per cent) are fully vaccinated (two doses)
• three (5.3 per cent) are partially vaccinated
• 15 (26.3 per cent) are unvaccinated

Public health says there are also two other groups of people in hospital related to COVID-19, which includes:

• 52 people who were identified as positive upon arrival at hospital but were admitted for another medical reason, or were admitted for COVID-19 but no longer require specialized care
• 105 people who contracted COVID-19 after being admitted to hospital

As of Friday, less than 10 per cent of Nova Scotians are unvaccinated.

VACCINE UPDATE

As of Thursday, Jan. 13, 1,925,970 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.

Of those, 90.4 per cent of Nova Scotians have received their first dose and 83.1 per cent have received their second dose.

To date, health officials say 35.6 per cent of eligible Nova Scotians have received a booster dose and 16 per cent have booked a booster dose appointment.

OUTBREAKS AT HOSPITALS, LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES

Nova Scotia Health provided an update on the outbreaks at three Cape Breton hospitals where more cases have been identified.

The new cases include:

• one additional patient in a ward at Northside General Hospital in North Sydney; a total of 12 patients have now tested positive.
• one additional patient in a separate ward at Northside General Hospital; fewer than 10 patients have tested positive.
• one additional patient at Cape Breton Regional Hospital; fewer than 10 patients have tested positive.

"All patients are being closely monitored and other infection prevention and control measures are being put in place," read a release.

The health authority says it will provide another update when more information is available.

Health officials are also reporting four outbreaks at long-term care facilities.

Those outbreaks involve:

• three staff and five residents at Wolfville Nursing Home in Wolfville
• six staff and two residents at Glen Haven Manor in New Glasgow
• 14 staff and 11 residents at Cove Guest Home in Sydney
• two residents at the Harbour View Hospital long-term care unit in Sydney Mines

"Public health is working with the facilities to prevent further spread. Increased public health measures and restrictions are in place," wrote public health.

TESTING AND CASES

On Thursday, Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) labs completed 5,074 tests.

Public health also identified an additional 891 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Of the new cases:

• 534 are in the Central zone
• 198 are in the Eastern zone
• 77 are in the Northern zone
• 82 are in the Western zone

The province did not provide the number of recoveries on Friday.

Nova Scotia estimates there are 6,648 active COVID-19 cases in the province as of Friday.

COVID ALERT APP

Canada’s COVID Alert app is available in Nova Scotia.

The app, which can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play, notifies users if they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

LIST OF SYMPTOMS

Anyone who experiences a new or worsening cough, or who has two or more of the following symptoms, needs to self-isolate and take an online COVID-19 self-assessment test, or call 811, to determine if they need to be tested for COVID-19:

• fever (chills, sweats)
• sore throat
• headache
• shortness of breath
• runny nose/nasal congestion