Nova Scotia reports 70 new COVID-19 over past two days; more cases at Pugwash nursing home
Health officials in Nova Scotia are reporting 70 new COVID-19 cases and 69 recoveries since Wednesday, as the number of active cases remains at 277.
That includes new cases identified Wednesday and Thursday, as the province did not release numbers on Rememembrance Day.
- 44 new cases were identified in the province's Central zone.
- 12 new cases were identified in the province's Northern zone.
- Nine new cases were identified in the province's Western zone.
- Five new cases were identified in the province's Eastern zone.
"There is community spread in Northern and Western zones, primarily related to ongoing transmission from a faith-based gathering that occurred in late October," says the province in a release. "This includes secondary transmission to other faith-based gatherings, workplaces and to East Cumberland Lodge, a long-term care home in Pugwash."
Health officials say two more residents and two staff members at East Cumberland Lodge have tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 22 residents and four staff members at the home have now tested positive. Public Health says they are working with the facility to prevent further spread, and have implemented increased public health measures and restrictions.
CRACKDOWN IS COMING
With 21 of the cases in the northern and western zones, where health officials say community spread is occurring, enforcement is being stepped up.
On Nov. 5, the operators of the Woods Harbour Community Centre were given a fine of more than $11,600.
"We received a complaint from the community about events being held in contravention of public health restrictions," said Cpl. Chris Marshall of the Nova Scotia RCMP.
Marshall says officers visited the centre on Oct. 21 and Oct. 24, offering education on what COVID-19 protocols are in place.
"In speaking to them, that's when we learned that they had been advised by the community centre management that there was no need for them to follow health restrictions," Marshall said.
Wayne Malone is the community centre's president.
"Everyone knows that COVID protocols need to be followed," he said. "We have it listed on our door, we have our signage, everything is there."
He says the board will appeal the fine in court.
"We're all family oriented, we get birthday parties, baby showers. We're an adult learning center," Malone said. "I'm looking into getting a mental wellness centre going because it's huge or this past two years."
In a statement, Public Health says the fourth wave of COVID-19 is still washing over the province, and enforcement of protocols will continue.
Any compliance action takes into consideration the risk to public health and the willingness of the business or organization to comply with this protocol.
Malone says if the fine is upheld, the centre will close.
EXPOSURE NOTICE FOR SEVEN SCHOOLS
Health officials also sent exposure notices for seven schools in the province on Wednesday and Thursday.
The latest school exposures are at Hants East Rural High School in Milford, Millwood High School in Middle Sackville, Basinview Community School and Rocky Lake Junior High in Bedford, Cunard Junior High, and Burton Ettinger Elementary and Fairview Junior High in Halifax.
“It is important to note that an exposure associated with a school does not mean there is spread within the school or that the initial case was first exposed to the virus in the school. As always, all staff, parents and guardians are notified of exposures if a positive case (student, teacher or staff) was at the school while infectious,” said N.S. Health in a release.
A list of schools with exposures is available online.
COVID-19 CASE DATA
Nova Scotia Health Authority's labs completed 3,451 on Wednesday and 2,552 tests on Thursday. A total of 1,347,985 COVID-19 tests have been processed since the start of the pandemic.
There were 28,019 rapid tests administered between November 5 and 11. This includes 2,114 rapid tests at the pop-up sites in Halifax, Dartmouth, Amherst and Annapolis Royal and 25,905 through the workplace screening program. Another 11,558 home rapid tests were distributed at the pop-up sites.
According to the province's online COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 7,815 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia. Of those, 7,306 people have recovered and 102 have died due to COVID-19.
Since Aug. 1, there have been 1,850 positive COVID-19 cases and eight deaths. Of the new cases since Aug. 1, 1,565 are now considered resolved.
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: 575 cases (88 active cases)
- Central zone: 5,838 cases (116 active cases)
- Northern zone: 684 cases (60 active cases)
- Eastern zone: 718 cases (13 active cases)
BREAKTHROUGH DATA
Public Health reports 'breakthrough cases' weekly. A breakthrough case involves a person becoming COVID-19 positive at least two weeks after receiving either one or two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the province there have been 101 cases of COVID-19 from Nov. 4 to Nov. 9. Of those:
- 45 (44.6 per cent) were fully vaccinated
- 9 (8.9 per cent) were partially vaccinated
- 47 (46.5 per cent) were unvaccinated
There have been 6,067 cases from March 15 to Nov. 9. Of those:
- 489 (8.1 per cent) were fully vaccinated
- 391 (6.4 per cent) were partially vaccinated
- 5,187 (85.5 per cent) were unvaccinated
There were 314 people hospitalized. Of those:
- 17 (5.4 per cent) were fully vaccinated
- 32 (10.2 per cent) were partially vaccinated
- 265 (84.4 per cent) were unvaccinated
Thirty-six people died. Of those:
- 5 (13.9 per cent) were fully vaccinated
- 3 (8.3 per cent) were partially vaccinated
- 28 (77.8 per cent) were unvaccinated
VACCINE UPDATE
The province's COVID-19 online dashboard provides an update on the number of vaccines that have been administered to date.
As of Friday, 1,593,242 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Of those, 772,138 Nova Scotians have received their second dose, and 6,642 eligible Nova Scotians have received a third dose.
In total, 83.4 per cent of the province's overall population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 78.9 per cent of Nova Scotians have received their second dose.
The province says it has received a total of 1,661,340 doses of COVID-19 vaccine since Dec. 15, 2020.
All Nova Scotians are encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as they are eligible. COVID-19 vaccination appointments can be made online or by phone at 1-833-797-7772.
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
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.