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Nova Scotia reports one new case of COVID-19 in Central zone; active cases rise to 10

Allan April CTVNewsAtlantic.ca writer

Published Monday, February 15, 2021 11:18AM AST Last Updated Monday, February 15, 2021 12:53PM AST

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HALIFAX -- Health officials in Nova Scotia identified one new case of COVID-19 on Monday. The number of active cases in the province is now 10.

Monday's new case was identified in the province’s Central Zone and is related to a previously reported case. The person is self-isolating.

"It's encouraging that our case numbers remain low and our best chance of keeping it that way is staying the course with our public health measures," said Premier Stephen McNeil in Monday's media release. "As we celebrate Heritage Day today, let's draw strength for the rest of the pandemic from the many Nova Scotians who weathered hardships and took bold steps to advance our people and our province."

"We're in a fortunate position in Nova Scotia in contrast with so many other provinces and we know that could change very quickly," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health. "That's why we need to remain vigilant about washing our hands, wearing masks, keeping physical distance, staying home when we're sick, isolating when required, and getting tested regularly even if you don't feel sick."

N.S. CASE DATA

The Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 1,620 tests on Sunday. The province has completed 305,010 tests since the pandemic began.

Since Oct. 1, there have been 505 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia. Of those, 495 cases are now considered recovered, and there have been 65 deaths, leaving 10 active cases.

There is one person in hospital due to COVID-19 in Nova Scotia, who is in the intensive care unit.

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: 95 cases (one active case)
Central Zone: 1,291 cases (7 active cases)
Northern Zone: 128 cases (1 active case)
Eastern Zone: 80 cases (1 active case)

The provincial state of emergency, which was first declared on March 22, 2020, has been extended to Feb. 21, 2021.

VACCINE UPDATE

Nova Scotia's COVID-19 online dashboard now provides an update on the amount of vaccines that have been administered to date.

As of Friday, 22,343 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far, with 7,498 people in Nova Scotia having received a second dose.

Of the vaccines administered 10,541 were health care workers, and 1,862 were long-term care residents.

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 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: