Nova Scotia reports 287 new COVID-19 cases Thursday; highest single-day increase to date

Nova Scotia reported its highest single-day COVID-19 case increase on Thursday, with 287 new infections.

Public health says 191 cases are in the province's Central zone, 57 are in the Eastern zone, 24 cases are in the Northern zone, and 15 are in the Western zone.

According to the province's COVID-19 online dashboard, the previous record for a single-day case increase was on May 7, when 227 new cases were announced.

Six people are in hospital with the virus, including two in intensive care. Public health says there are no hospitalizations in the province's Eastern zone.

Due to an increase in testing and positive cases, public health says they are experiencing some delays in follow-up and will try to contact anyone confirmed positive by the lab within 24 hours.

The province says all close contacts, including individuals who are fully vaccinated, now need to isolate for 72 hours after the exposure and get a lab-based PCR test. Those who are fully vaccinated can stop isolating after receiving a negative lab test. Those not fully vaccinated must continue to isolate, following the instructions for close contacts who are not fully vaccinated, found online.

None of Thursday’s cases are associated with Parkland Antigonish, after an outbreak was declared at the seniors’ living community on Monday.

Two residents and two staff members from the retirement home have tested positive and one staff member from Mary’s Court, the licensed long-term care neighbourhood, has tested positive. No one is in hospital.

All staff and residents are fully vaccinated, and all residents of Mary’s Court have had a booster shot. Public health is working with the facility to prevent further spread. Increased public health measures and restrictions are in place.

On Wednesday, nine schools in the province were notified of an exposure at their school. 

A full list of school exposures is available online.

Lynn Molloy, manager at the Kempt Road COVID-19 testing clinic in Halifax, says testing in the city is in high demand as cases climb and the Omicron variant spreads.

"The last time testing numbers were this high was during our third wave back in the end of April and May," said Molloy.

Molloy says appointments for tests are booking two to three days ahead. She says the clinic is working on getting additional staff to help with the demand.

On Wednesday, Nova Scotia's lab completely more than 7,800 COVID-19 tests.

"People are coming in with close contacts of positive cases that have been confirmed, exposures sites, outbreaks in the schools, for the most part," said Molloy.

Booster vaccine doses are also in high demand in Nova Scotia.

According to the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia, pharmacies continue to administer booster doses, with additional clinics opening every day.

"Right now there's clinics opened up pretty much until the end of December, but we're starting to get ready for January. So, as long as you know when your 168 days is, you can go find a clinic or keep looking for clinics as they're opening up regularly, and book yourself an appointment for that time," said Diane Harpell, chair of the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia.

VACCINE UPDATE

As of Thursday, 1,708,855 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.

Of those, 791,766 Nova Scotians have received their second dose, and 66,461 eligible Nova Scotians have received a third dose.

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