Jump to sections in this article:
Overview
Demographics
Testing
Vaccination
Schools
Potential exposure advisories
One-hundred-and-forty-six new cases of COVID-19 are announced in Nova Scotia today (Monday, May 3).
Of the new cases, 130 are in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone, nine are in the Eastern Zone, four is in the Northern Zone, and three are in the Western Zone.
Because the numbers are so large, Public Health is no longer able to provide the cause of cases (i.e., travel related, close contacts, etc.) by the time the release comes out.
There are now 942 known active cases in the province. Forty people are in hospital with the disease, and six of those are in ICU.
Here are the daily new case numbers and the seven-day rolling averages (today at 105) for the current outbreak, dating from March 28, the last day Nova Scotia had zero new daily cases:
And here’s the graph of daily new cases and the seven-day rolling average since the start of the second wave (Oct. 1):
Here’s the graph of daily new case numbers from the start of the pandemic in March 2020:
Here is the active caseload for the current outbreak:
Here is the active caseload since the start of the second wave on Oct. 1:
And here is the active caseload from the start of the pandemic in March 2020:
Demographics
Today’s reported 146 cases are in the following demographics:
• 39 aged 19 or younger (23 girls or women, 16 boys or men)
• 51 aged 20-39 (28 women, 23 men)
• 36 aged 40-59 (20 women, 16 men)
• 17 aged 60-79 (7 women, 10 men)
• 3 aged 80 or over (all women)
The active cases are distributed as follows:
• 287 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 345 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 77 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 23 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 7 is in the West Hants Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 60 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 12 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 2 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 12 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 8 in the Pictou Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 11 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 9 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 6 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network in the Western Zone
Eighty-four cases are not assigned to a Community Health Network, but they are in the Central Zone.
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 15,832 tests yesterday. This figure does not include the tests taken at the various pop-up testing sites.
For the next few days, the only people who should be booking PCR tests are the following:
- anyone with symptoms
- anyone who has been notified that they are a close contact of a known case
- anyone who has been at an exposure location
- anyone who has travelled outside Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.
If people who are not in the above categories have a PCR test booked, they should cancel it (yesterday’s advice that they merely not show up has been withdrawn). Everyone not in those categories should instead go to a rapid-testing pop-up site.
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:
Monday
John Martin School (Dartmouth), noon-7pm
Cineplex Bridgewater, 1-6pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 3-7pm
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pmTuesday
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
John Martin School (Dartmouth), noon-7pm
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
St Andrews Community Centre (Halifax), noon-7pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 3-7pm
Cineplex Bridgewater, 2-7pmWednesday
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
St Andrews Community Centre (Halifax), noon-7pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 3-7pmThursday
St Andrews Community Centre (Halifax), noon-7pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 3-7pmFriday
St Andrews Community Centre (Halifax), noon-7pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 3-7pm
You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here. No medical experience is necessary.
Those who fall into the categories that require PCR testing can get tests at the Public Health Mobile Units or the Nova Scotia Health labs.
Public Health Mobile Units are available only for pre-booked appointments for PCR tests for people of all ages (results within three days). The units have the following schedule:
Knights of Columbus (3236 Plummer Ave., New Waterford)
Monday, 10am-6pm
Tuesday, 10am-6pm
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 the health zones (appointments may not be available at each site):
Central Zone
Bayers Lake (41 Washmill Lake Drive)
Burnside/Dartmouth Crossing (77 Finnian Row)
Canada Games Centre
Dartmouth General Hospital Drive-Thru (No Taxis)
Eastern Shore Memorial Hospital
Mayflower Curling Club
Musquodoboit Valley Memorial Hospital
Saint Mary’s University (Homburg Centre)
Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital (Musquodoboit Harbour)
Zatzman Sportsplex
Northern Zone
Colchester Legion Stadium (14 Lorne Street, Truro)
Truro (625 Abenaki Road, with drive-thru at 600 Abenaki Road)
Truro Farmers Market Drive-Thru testing
Amherst (34 Prince Arthur Street)
Pictou County Assessment Center (678 East River Rd, New Glasgow)
Eastern Zone
Antigonish Market Square
Buchanan Memorial Community Health Centre (Neils Harbour)
Eastern Memorial Hospital (Canso)
Grand Lake Road Fire Hall (Sydney)
Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital
Membertou Entertainment Centre
Northside General Hospital (North Sydney)
Sacred Heart Community Health Centre (Cheticamp)
Strait Richmond Hospital (Evanston)
Victoria County Memorial Hosptial (Baddeck)
Western Zone
Acadia Festival Theatre
Acadia University Club
Berwick Firehall
Digby Station (7 Birch Street)
Liverpool PAC (157 School Street)
Roseway Hospital (Shelburne)
South Shore Assessment Centre (215 Dominion Road, Bridgewater)
Yarmouth Mariners Centre
Yarmouth Visitor Information Centre (228 Main Street)
Vaccination
This morning, the province opened up appointments for mRNA vaccination (Pfizer and Moderna) for the next age cohort — 50 years old and older.
A drive-thru vaccination clinic at Dartmouth General Hospital also opens today, also by appointment.
All people who are 50 or over can book an appointment for Pfizer or Moderna., People who are from 40-54 can book an appointment for the AstraZeneca. You can book an appointment here.
So far, 320,910 doses of vaccine have been administered. I don’t have a breakdown for first and second doses.
Schools
I’ve added school-connected COVID cases that I’m aware of to the potential exposure advisories map (see below).
The current status of schools:
All schools in the province are closed until May 12.
Potential exposure advisories
Last night, Public Health issued the following list of potential COVID exposure advisories (the release also contained a couple of corrections from previous releases; I’ve updated the potential exposure map to reflect those corrections):
Regardless of whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms, those present at the following locations on the named dates and times for at least 15 minutes are required to self-isolate while waiting for their test result. If you get a negative result, you do not need to keep self-isolating. If you get a positive result, you will be contacted by Public Health about what to do next.
- KFC (75 Tacoma Drive, Dartmouth) on April 23 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., April 24 from 3:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. or April 25 from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 9.
- Maritime Bus travelling from Halifax International Airport to Sydney on April 26 from 3:15 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including May 10.
- Halifax Transit routes:
- *CORRECTION: Exposure times* Route 3 travelling from North/Windsor Street to Burnside on April 19, 20, 21, 23 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Route 3 travelling from Burnside to North/Windsor Street on April 19, 20, 21, 23 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 7.
- Route 10 travelling from Dartmouth to Halifax on April 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 7.
- Route 10 travelling from Halifax to Dartmouth on April 23 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 7.
Regardless of whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms, those present at the following location on the named date and times for at least 15 minutes are required to self-isolate, get tested and continue self-isolating for 14 days, even with a negative test result.
- Mulgrave Park Basketball Court (Mulgrave Park, Halifax) on April 25 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 9.
- Body ‘n’ Soul (606 Reeves Street, Port Hawkesbury) on April 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 11.
Anyone who was on the following flights in the specified rows and seats should visit https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/en to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. You can also call 811 if you don’t have online access or if you have other symptoms that concern you.
- Air Canada flight 8780 travelling on April 26 from Montreal (8:00 a.m.) to Halifax (10:30 a.m.) Passengers in rows 22-27 are asked to immediately visit https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/en to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 10.
- West Jet flight 232 travelling on April 26 from Calgary (9:30 a.m.) to Halifax (5:30 p.m.) Passengers in rows 1-3, seats C, D and F are asked to immediately visit https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/en to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 10.
- West Jet flight 3346 travelling on April 28 from Toronto (9:00 a.m.) to Halifax (12:10 p.m.) Passengers in rows 1-7, seats B, C, and D are asked to immediately visit https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/en to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 12.
- Air Canada flight 8780 travelling on April 29 from Montreal (8:00 a.m.) to Halifax (10:30 a.m.) Passengers in rows 20-26, seats C, D and F are asked to immediately visit https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/en to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 13.
- Air Canada flight 8782 travelling on April 29 from Montreal (7:10 p.m.) to Halifax (9:30 p.m.) Passengers in rows 23-27, seats C, D and F are asked to immediately visit https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/en to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 13.
- West Jet flight 232 travelling on April 30 from Calgary (9:30 a.m.) to Halifax (5:30 p.m.) Passengers in rows 24-30, seats A,B C and D are asked to immediately visit https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/en to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 14.
I’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 click on the icons to get information about each site. I’ve also added school-connected cases to the map. Note: in HRM, potential exposure sites that are considered low-risk for transmission are no longer subject to advisories; that’s because everyone in HRM is encouraged to get tested, whether they were at a potential exposure site or not.
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