Jump to sections in this article:
Overview of today’s cases
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Potential exposure advisories
Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville. Photo: Nova Scotia Health
Nova Scotia announced 12 new cases of COVID-19 today, Tuesday, Oct. 19; three of the cases are an outbreak at Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville.
By Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone, the new cases break down as:
• 8 Central Zone
• 4 Western Zone
“Three patients in a non-COVID unit at Valley Regional Hospital have tested positive for COVID-19,” Alyson Lamb, executive director of Nova Scotia Health Authority’s Western Zone, told reporters at today’s COVID briefing. “One of those patients has been transferred to our intensive care unit.
“Affected patients have been isolated as per our infection control guidelines, and so far more than 50 inpatient staff and physicians have been tested. An outbreak management team has been established to support the hospital’s response. Additional measures like contact tracing and enhanced cleaning is underway. All other patients, staff and visitors identified as close contacts will be tested. The outbreak at Valley Regional Hospital is limited as it stands.“
This is the second outbreak in a Nova Scotian hospital. In May, an outbreak in the Halifax Infirmary infected 31 people and caused three deaths.
In response to the Infirmary outbreak, an investigative report written by Dr. Ian Davis made several recommendations. Today, I asked Lamb if those recommendations had been applied at the Infirmary.
“Dr. Davis has been engaged as part of our IPAC team,” answered Lamb. “And those recommendations have been reviewed and implemented. That’s part of the reason we’re here talking to you today, as well as the other containment measures from the lessons learned have been implemented.”
The Department of Health continues to note that “there are signs of community spread among those in Central Zone aged 20 to 40 who are unvaccinated and participating in social activities.”
There are now 187 known active cases in the province. Fourteen people are in hospital with the disease, four of whom are in ICU. Thirty-three people are considered newly recovered, which means they are no longer contagious and not necessarily that they aren’t sick.
Vaccination
Yesterday, 2,890 doses of vaccine were administered — 1,446 second doses and 1,444 first doses.
By end of day yesterday, 82.5% of the entire population (including young children) have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 77.1% have received two doses.
People 12 years old and older can also book a vaccination appointment here.
People in rural areas who need transportation to a vaccination appointment should contact Rural Rides, which will get you there and back home for just $5. You need to book the ride 24 hours ahead of time.
Demographics
Since Friday, there have been 84 new cases; by age cohort, the new cases break down as:
• 37 are aged 0-11
• 5 are aged 12-19
• 22 are aged 20-39
• 12 are aged 40-59
• 7 are aged 60-79
• 1 is aged 80 or older
There were notices of potential exposures at three schools yesterday:
• Portland Estates Elementary
• Oxford School
• Cumberland North Academy
Some schools may have multiple notifications on the same day.
The active cases across the province are distributed as follows:
Central Zone
• 92 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network
• 44 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network
• 19 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network
• 1 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network
• 2 in the West Hants Community Health Network
• 2 not assigned to a Community Health Network
Total: 160
Eastern Zone
• 0 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network
• 1 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network
• 1 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network
Total: 2
Northern Zone
• 2 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network
• 1 in the Pictou Community Health Network
• 6 in the Cumberland Community Health Network
Total: 9
Western Zone
• 12 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network
• 2 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network
• 2 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network
Total: 16
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 2,152 PCR tests yesterday. This does not include the antigen tests administered at the pop-up testing sites.
You do not need a health card to get tested.
Pop-up testing (antigen testing) is for asymptomatic people over 16 who have not been to the potential COVID exposure sites (see map below); results usually within 20 minutes. Pop-up testing has been scheduled for the following sites:
Tuesday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Centennial Arena, 10am-5pm
Alderney Gate, 4-6pmWednesday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm — home testing pick up only; no on-site testing
Centennial Arena, 10am-5pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pmThursday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm — home testing pick up only; no on-site testing
Centennial Arena, 10am-5pmFriday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm — home testing pick up only; no on-site testing
Centennial Arena, 1qam-7pm
You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here or here. No medical experience is necessary.
You can also get PCR testing at the Nova Scotia Health labs by going here. Appointments can be made for the IWK, or for various locations in each of the health zones (appointments may not be available at each site).
Potential exposure advisories
Nova Scotia Health issued several potential COVID exposure advisories yesterday, and three new school exposures.
We’ve collected all the active advisories for potential COVID exposures on bus routes and flights here.
The updated potential COVID exposure advisory map is below; you can zoom in and click on the coronavirus icons to get information about each site.
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