HALIFAX -- Health officials in Nova Scotia are reporting three new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and one new death related to the novel coronavirus.

Public health says the woman who died was in her 80s and was in the province's Central zone.

This is the first death Nova Scotia has reported since Aug. 23.

"On behalf of all Nova Scotians, I extend my condolences to the family and loved ones of this individual," said Premier Iain Rankin. "It's important that we continue to do everything we can to continue to slow the spread of the virus in our province."

To date, Nova Scotia has had a total of 66 deaths related to COVID-19.

"My thoughts are with this woman's family during this difficult time," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health. "COVID-19 is still in our province and it continues to be very important for all Nova Scotians to be following the public health measures and advice."

THREE NEW CASES CONFIRMED

Health officials announced three new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, all of which are in the province's Central zone.

Two of the case are close contacts to previously reported infections. The third positive case is related to travel outside Atlantic Canada. This person is self-isolating, as required.

Nova Scotia currently has 17 active cases of COVID-19.

N.S. CASE DATA

The Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 2,900 tests on Wednesday.

The province has completed 396,082 tests since the pandemic began.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 1,677 COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia. Of those, 1,594 cases have recovered and 66 people have died due to the novel coronavirus.

There is one person in the hospital as a result of COVID-19, with nobody in the intensive care unit.

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: 106 cases (7 active cases)
  • Central Zone: 1,352 cases (10 active cases)
  • Northern Zone: 132 cases (0 active cases)
  • Eastern Zone: 87 cases (0 active cases)

The provincial state of emergency, which was first declared on March 22, 2020, has been extended to March 21, 2021.

VACCINE UPDATE

Nova Scotia's COVID-19 online dashboard provides an update on the amount of vaccines that have been administered to date.

As of Thursday, 55,176 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far. Of those, 36,193 were first doses and 18,983 Nova Scotians have received their second dose.

Of the vaccines administered 35,197 went to health care workers, and 6,602 were long-term care residents.

As of Tuesday, the province has received a total of 104,580 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and are holding 25,308 in reserve for second doses and planned clinics.

NOVA SCOTIANS ENCOURAGED TO SEEK ASYMPTOMATIC TESTING

Public health is strongly encouraging Nova Scotians to seek asymptomatic COVID-19 testing, particularly if they have had several social interactions, even with their own social circle.

COVID-19 tests can be booked through the provinces online self-assessment COVID-19 tool, or by calling 811.

People can also visit one of Nova Scotia’s many rapid pop-up testing sites that continue to operate throughout the province.

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