HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia health officials are reporting five new COVID-19 cases on Saturday. Seven previously reported cases are now considered recovered, as the total number of active cases in the province drops to 25.

All five of Saturday's new cases were identified in the province's Central zone. All are close contacts of previously reported cases, including one probable case identified yesterday, March 26, at Sackville Heights Junior High in Lower Sackville.

"Nova Scotians have been quick to answer the call for testing throughout the pandemic," said Premier Iain Rankin in a news release. "With two cases connected to schools in the Sackville area, we want to ensure the community has easy access to testing this weekend. Our mobile testing unit will be set up at the Sackville Legion on Saturday and Sunday between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm. I encourage anyone to drop in or book an appointment online."

"I encourage Nova Scotians to continue to make testing a part of their regular routine." said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health. "Testing remains an important part of our province's defence against the virus, particularly where people have very mild or no symptoms."

N.S. COVID-19 CASE DATA

The Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 1,912 tests on Friday.

The province has completed 414,912 tests since the pandemic began.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 1,709 COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia. Of those, 1,618 cases have recovered and 66 people have died due to the novel coronavirus.

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

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 (1 active case)
  • Central Zone: 1,380 cases (21 active cases)
  • Northern Zone: 132 cases (0 active cases)
  • Eastern Zone: 91 cases (3 active cases)

The provincial state of emergency, which was first declared on March 22, 2020, has been extended to April 4, 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 Friday, 83,148 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far. Of those, 59,486 were first doses and 23,662 Nova Scotians have received their second dose.

Of the vaccines administered 42,110 went to health care workers, and 7,839 were long-term care residents.

As of Tuesday., the province has received a total of 119,110 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and are holding 21,365 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