Nova Scotia reports 73 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, active cases rise to 125

HALIFAX -

Health officials in Nova Scotia are reporting 73 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, along with 24 recoveries, as the number of active cases in the province rises to 125.

According to the province, 32 new cases were reported on Saturday, 29 new cases on Sunday, and 12 new cases on Monday.

"We knew we'd get cases in the fourth wave and, like elsewhere, it's among people who are not vaccinated," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health. "This highlights the importance of getting the vaccine. It's the best line of defence against COVID-19."

Thirty-six new cases were identified in the province's Northern zone. Thirty-two involve close contacts of previously reported cases, three are related to travel and one is under investigation.

Health officials say there is a large cluster of linked cases in a defined group in the Northern zone, and most of the group is unvaccinated, so more cases are expected.

Thirty-one new cases were identified in the province's Central zone. Eleven involve close contacts of previously reported cases, nine are related to travel and 11 are under investigation.

Health officials say there are signs of community spread among those in Central Zone aged 20 to 40 who are unvaccinated and participating in social activities.

Four new cases were identified in the Eastern zone. Three are related to travel and one is under investigation.

Two new cases were identified in the Western zone. One is a close contact of a previously reported case and one is related to travel.

Public Health says it is closely monitoring all four health zones for community spread.

COVID-19 CASE DATA

Nova Scotia Health Authority's labs completed 2,782 tests on Sept.10; 2,440 tests on Sept. 11; and 2,352 tests on Sept. 12. A total of 1,154,024 COVID-19 tests have been processed since the start of the pandemic.

According to the province's online COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 6,188 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia. Of those, 5,969 people have recovered and 94 have died due to COVID-19.

There are currently four people in hospital in Nova Scotia due to COVID-19, with no one in an intensive care unit.

Since April 1, there have been 4,446 positive COVID-19 cases and 28 deaths. Of the new cases since April 1, 4,293 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: 317 cases (9 active case)
• Central zone: 4,849 cases (59 active cases)
• Northern zone: 378 cases (52 active cases)
• Eastern zone: 644 cases (5 active cases)

The provincial state of emergency, which was first declared on March 22, 2020, has been extended to Sept. 19, 2021.

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 Monday, 1,469,063 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.

In total, 78.8 per cent of the province's overall population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 72.5 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.

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.

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