HALIFAX -- Health officials in Nova Scotia are reporting four new cases of COVID-19 Saturday.

Three are in the western zone, and are contacts of previously reported cases.

One is in the province’s central zone. It is under investigation.

Originally, the province reported five new cases, but one was determined to be the result of a "data entry error". It has been subtracted from the active total.

"Today's case count is a little higher, which shows how important it is to continue to follow public health guidelines and get tested," said Premier Iain Rankin in Saturday’s media release. "I want to thank Nova Scotians for their perseverance and sacrifice over the last year. It is paying off and we can all see that we are making progress."

According to Saturday’s media release, a case from the eastern zone reported Friday is being removed from the province’s total case count, as it was determined to be diagnosed in another province.

CTV News reached out to the province for clarification, but were told in an email that no more information could be provided due to patient privacy.

As of Saturday, Nova Scotia’s active case count is 19.

N.S. CASE DATA

The Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 2,004 tests on Friday. The province has completed 385,671 tests since the pandemic began.

There have been 1,670 cumulative COVID-19 case in Nova Scotia. Of those, 1,585 cases are now considered recovered, and there have been 65 deaths, leaving 20 active cases remaining.

There is currently one person in a Nova Scotia hospital due to COVID-19, not in intensive care.

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: 105 cases (7 active cases)
  • Central Zone: 1,345 cases (12 active cases)
  • Northern Zone: 132 cases (1 active case)
  • 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.

NOVA SCOTIANS ENCOURAGED TO SEEK ASYMPTOMATIC TESTING

Public health is strongly encouraging Nova Scotians to seek asymptomatic COVID-19 testing, particularly if they have attended 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 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

Correction:

The Nova Scotia Government originally stated there were five new cases Saturday.

On Sunday, the province sent out a media release saying there was a "data entry error", and the correct number of new cases was four.

Our article has been updated to reflect this correction.