GLACE BAY, N.S. -- Nova Scotia's deputy health minister says some vaccines are going unused in Cape Breton and are being sent back to Halifax before they expire.

While COVID-19 numbers drop across the province, cases have remained steady in the Sydney area, with 11 more announced Wednesday for the eastern zone.

For the first time on Wednesday the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay opened its doors as a COVID-19 testing centre.

"I'm glad that there's a testing site in Glace Bay and I'm glad there's people in the theatre, even though they are not seeing the kind of show they want to see," said Pam Leader, the Savoy Theatre's executive director.

Community spread is one of the reasons Nova Scotia public health has expanded testing sites in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

"We would like to see them a little higher and that's why we're bringing testing to other communities and get a better sense of what's out there," said Andrew Heighton, the Eastern Zone's COVID response director.

Nova Scotia's deputy health minister Dr. Kevin Orrell says testing has been a lower and younger people in Cape Breton aren't as interested as they are in other parts of the province.

Orrell met virtually with Cape Breton Regional Council on Wednesday, and maybe the most alarming message was vaccination appointments at some centres on the island have been going unfilled.

"There has been vaccine in Cape Breton that has not been used by Cape Bretoners and in order to avoid it expiring, we've had to ship it back to the central zone for distribution," Orrell said.

Orrell says it's generally some of the younger generation that have not yet got their shot in the arm.

"We're in the middle of a pandemic and everyone wants to get back to normal, and the thought that people aren't showing up, this is serious," said Cape Breton Regional Coun. Darren Bruckschwaiger.

Bruckschwaiger says it is also concerning hat there was no public knowledge the unused vaccines were being sent to Halifax.

"I was very shocked," Bruckschwaiger said. "I think there should've been a general announcement and if there was, I never heard it. It certainly requires more investigation and I'm going to be checking on it for sure."

The testing site at the Savoy is open Thursday and Friday. Nova Scotia public health also plans to expand testing to the New Waterford area.