HALIFAX -- The Nova Scotia government is reporting six new cases of COVID-19 in three zones over two days.

With six cases considered resolved, the number of active cases remains at 27.

Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 969 Nova Scotia tests on Saturday and 1,077 tests on Sunday.

Two cases were reported on Sunday. One case is in the Western Zone and is related to travel outside Atlantic Canada. The second case is in the Eastern Zone and is under investigation.

Four cases were reported on Monday in Nova Scotia’s Central Zone. One case is related to travel outside Atlantic Canada while another is a close contact of a previously-reported case.

The other two new cases are under investigation.

The provincial government says the latest cases are not connected to Churchill Academy. The private school in Dartmouth, N.S., has recently reported a total of seven cases.

Public health has been in contact with the school and has arranged testing for all staff and students. The last day of classes at the school was Dec. 18 and classes are set to resume on Jan. 11.

VACCINATION PACE TOO SLOW: CRITIC

While the Nova Scotia Health Coalition is pleased with the province's priority list for who gets the vaccine first, they say the vaccination rollout has been slow.

"To put it in perspective, on average we've only been vaccinating about 135 people per day since we received the first doses of the vaccine on Dec. 14," said Chris Parsons of the coalition. "That number is so low that at the current rate it would take over nine years to reach 50 per cent vaccination."

Parsons says the vaccination rate in Nova Scotia is much lower than other places.

"This is a problem of actually getting vaccine jabbed into people's arms, not an actual problem of receiving the correct number," Parsons said. "We have more than enough vaccine in storage, according to government numbers."

TORY LEADER SPEAKS OUT AGAINST HOLIDAY TRAVEL

Meanwhile, the leader of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party is speaking out about Canadian politicians who have left the country during the pandemic.

Tim Houston says everyone should be doing their part.

"Nova Scotians are making tremendous sacrifices, Canadians are making tremendous sacrifices, we know weddings have been cancelled," Houston said. "We know it's been very difficult to see loved ones, it's caused a lot of disruption in a lot of lives, and when elected people ask others to make those sacrifices, they have to be leading the way and no leader should look the other way."

In Nova Scotia, the Liberals, Progressive Conservatives and NDP all say none of their MLAs have left the country or are travelling abroad.

DINE-IN SERVICE RESUMES AT HALIFAX-AREA RESTAURANTS

Restaurants and licensed establishments in parts of the Halifax Regional Municipality and Hants County can reopen for dine-in service on Monday.

They must follow the provincewide restrictions, which include ending service by 10 p.m. and closing by 11 p.m.

Restaurants can continue to offer takeout and delivery service with no restrictions.

The province shut down dine-in service in parts of HRM and Hants County on Nov. 26 in an effort to contain community spread in the area. The province initially said it expected to reopen dining rooms on Jan. 11, but health officials decided to ease the restrictions a week early due to low case numbers reported over the holidays.

"I'm pleased that the recent low number of cases in the greater Halifax area means that restaurants can reopen today," said Premier Stephen McNeil in a news release. "I want to thank the hardworking entrepreneurs in this sector for their patience as we do our best to slow the spread of the virus. I remind all Nova Scotians that following all the public health protocols is the best way to protect each other and also help our economy."

CASE BREAKDOWN

Since Oct. 1, Nova Scotia has confirmed 416 positive COVID-19 cases. Of those, 389 cases are considered resolved, leaving 27 active cases. No one has died during the second wave.

One person is in hospital as a result of COVID-19.

Since the start of the pandemic, Nova Scotia has completed 241,726 tests, and reported a total of 1,505 cases of COVID-19. Of those, 1,413 cases are now considered resolved and 65 people have died as a result of the novel coronavirus.

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

Fifty-six per cent of cases are female and 44 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: 85 cases
  • Central Zone: 1,241 cases
  • Northern Zone: 111 cases
  • Eastern Zone: 68 cases

The provincial state of emergency, which was first declared on March 22, has been extended to Jan. 10.

COVID ALERT APP

Canada’s COVID-19 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 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.

It is mandatory to wear a face mask in indoor public spaces in Nova Scotia.