HALIFAX -- An elderly man from the Halifax area is Nova Scotia’s third death resulting from COVID-19.
The province said Monday that the man was in his 80s and had underlying health issues.
He died in the Halifax Regional Municipality on Monday.
Health officials wouldn’t provide any further details, including whether the man died in hospital.
“Tragically this weekend, we have another Nova Scotia family who are suffering a loss due to COVID-19,” said Premier Stephen McNeil during a news conference in Halifax Monday afternoon.
“On behalf of all Nova Scotians I want to express to you our deepest sympathies and condolences and I want you to know that we as a province are grieving with you and are here to provide any kind of support that we can.”
Last week, Nova Scotia announced its first two deaths related to COVID-19.
A woman in her 70s died on April 6 and a woman in her 90s died on April 8.
Both women had underlying health issues and died at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney, N.S.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang said last week that the women were admitted to the hospital on the same day, but that their cases weren’t connected.
Nova Scotia reports 29 new COVID-19 cases
The province also reported 29 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of cases in Nova Scotia to 474.
The QEII Health Sciences Centre's microbiology lab completed 947 tests on Sunday and is operating around the clock.
The confirmed cases range in age from under 10 to over 90.
Fifty-two per cent of cases are female and 48 per cent are male.
There are currently nine people in hospital. Four of those patients are in intensive care units.
The province says 101 people have recovered from the virus and their cases are considered resolved.
There are cases across the province. More information is available in an online map, which breaks down the number of cases by the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s four zones.
The zones indicate where the person was tested and not necessarily where the person lives.
The central zone, which includes the Halifax Regional Municipality, has seen the largest number of cases:
- Western zone: 46 cases
- Central zone: 354 cases
- Northern zones: 34 cases
- Eastern zone: 40 cases
Public health is working to identify and test people who may have come in contact with the province’s confirmed cases.
To date, Nova Scotia has 15,580 negative test results, 474 confirmed cases, and three deaths.
Most cases are connected to travel or a known case of COVID-19, but community spread of the virus has been confirmed in the province.
As a result, travel is no longer a requirement for COVID-19 testing.
The province has also expanded the list of symptoms for which it is screening.
Anyone who has two or more of the following symptoms is encouraged to take an online questionnaire to determine if they should call 811 for further assessment:
- Fever
- New or worsening cough
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Headache
Anyone who has COVID-19 must self-isolate at home, away from the public, for 14 days.
Anyone who travelled outside Nova Scotia is also required to self-isolate.
Numbers show measures are working: Strang
Dr. Robert Strang said Monday that while the number of cases continues to rise in Nova Scotia, more tests are being conducted, and most people are testing negative for the virus.
“We may have seen over the last week that people may be concerned that our case numbers have increased and we tend to have around 30 a day over the last week, but I see that as actually a sign of some good news,” said Strang.
He noted that the province has recently expanded COVID-19 testing and is now testing over 800 people most days, so the number of people who are testing positive for the virus is relatively low, compared to the number of tests being conducted.
Strang also said it appears that the Nova Scotia numbers may have hit a plateau.
“While our numbers per day have increased … they don't continue to climb. That's also a sign that gives me some encouragement,” said Strang.
Strang said he believes the combination of public health measures, expansion of testing, and “aggressive follow up” with COVID-19 cases and their contacts is having a significant impact on minimizing the spread of the virus in Nova Scotia.
“What we’re doing is working. However, it’s too early to confirm for us to say, well, now we can start to relax,” said Strang.
“We’re not out of the woods yet. We have a few tough weeks ahead of us that we still have to be really vigilant.”
