Photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash
Twenty-five new cases of COVID-19 are announced in Nova Scotia today (Wednesday, April 21).
Nineteen of the cases are in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone — four are related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada; nine are close contacts of previously reported cases; and six are under investigation.
Three of today’s Central Zone cases were the school-based cases announced yesterday — at Dartmouth South Academy, Auburn Drive High, and Mount Edward Elementary. One of today’s cases, however, is a new school-based case at Joseph Giles Elementary in Dartmouth; the school will remain closed until Tuesday.
Additionally, one of today’s Central Zone cases is a staff member at Ocean View Continuing Care Centre, a nursing home in Eastern Passage. “All residents were offered vaccinations and the majority of residents accepted full vaccination with two doses of COVID-19 vaccine,” according to a provincial press release.
There are three cases in the Northern Zone — one related to travel outside of Canada and two that are under investigation.
And there are three cases in the Eastern Zone, all related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada.
Today’s cases are in the following demographics:
• 3 aged 19 or younger (two girls or women, one boy or man)
• 10 aged 20-39 (seven women, three men)
• 6 aged 40-59 (three women, three men)
• 6 aged 60-79 (three women, three men)
There are now 79 known active cases in the province. Two people are in hospital with the disease, but not in ICU.
The active cases are distributed as follows:
• 16 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 21 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 7 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 1 is in the West Hants Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 17 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 2 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 1 is in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 3 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 5 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 3 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network in the Western Zone
Five cases are not assigned to a Community Health Network, but four are in the Central Zone and one is in the Eastern Zone.
As a result of the high number of cases, the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship, scheduled for May 6-16 in Halifax and Truro, has been cancelled.
Premier Iain Rankin and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang have scheduled a COVID briefing for 1:30pm Thursday.
“We are seeing a concerning rise in cases,” said Strang in the press release. “There are now early signs of community spread in the Sackville, Halifax, Dartmouth and Lawrencetown areas. We’re asking residents of these areas to closely follow public health measures and go get tested for COVID-19. Testing is one way to detect cases early on, which will help manage them and limit the spread of the virus.”
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 4,562 tests yesterday.
Pop-up testing for asymptomatic people over 16 (results usually within 20 minutes) has been scheduled for the following sites:
Thursday: Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Public Health Mobile Units are available for drop-in and pre-booked appointments (symptomatic people must pre-book) for PCR tests for people of all ages (results within three days) at the following sites:
Thursday
• Saint Vincent de Paul Church (320 Flying Cloud Dr., Darmouth), 9:30am-5:30pm
• Lake Echo Fellowship Baptist Church (17 Peter Ct., Mineville), 9:30am-5:30pmFriday
• Saint Vincent de Paul Church (320 Flying Cloud Dr., Darmouth), 9:30am-5:30pm
• Lake Echo Fellowship Baptist Church (17 Peter Ct., Mineville), 9:30am-5:30pmSaturday
• Saint Vincent de Paul Church (320 Flying Cloud Dr., Darmouth), 9:30am-5:30pm
• Lake Echo Fellowship Baptist Church (17 Peter Ct., Mineville), 9:30am-5:30pm
But you can also get tested at the Nova Scotia Health labs by going here.
Yesterday, 14,783 doses of vaccine were administered. This is a single-day record, by far. In total, 230,801 doses have been administered.
People who are 60 or over can book an appointment for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine; people aged 55-64 can book appointments to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. You can book an appointment here.
Here are the new daily cases and seven-day rolling average (today at 10.4) since the start of the second wave (Oct. 1):
And here is the active caseload for the second wave:
Last night, Public Health issued the following potential COVID exposure advisories:
Anyone who worked at or visited the following locations on the specified dates and times should immediately visit covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/ 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.
If you do not have any symptoms of COVID-19 you do not need to self-isolate while you wait for your test result. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 you are required to self-isolate while you wait for your test result.
• Goodlife Lower Sackville (720 Sackville Dr., Lower Sackville) on April 14 between 11:30 a.m. and 8:15 p.m., and April 17 between 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.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 1.
• Atlantic Superstore (745 Sackville Dr., Lower Sackville) on April 15 between 6:00 p.m. and 7:45 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, April 29.
• Lawton’s Lower Sackville (665 Sackville Dr., Lower Sackville) on April 15 between 10:30 a.m. and 11:40 a.m. and April 16 between 12:30 p.m. and 1:40 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, April 29.
• Atlantic Superstore Joe Howe Drive (3601 Joseph Howe Dr., Halifax) on April 16 between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 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, April 30.
• Subway (4602 Upper Main Street, Oxford) on April 17 between 3:00 p.m. and 4:10 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 1.
• Halifax Dance (1505 Barrington Street, Suite G6, Halifax) on April 17 between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.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 1.
• Edible Matters Pub & Bakery (1345 Hammonds Plains Rd., HRM) on April 17 between 2:45 p.m. and 5:00 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 1.
• Bloom Nursery (1421 Hammonds Plains Rd., HRM) on April 17 between 2:00 p.m. and 3:45 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 1.
• Lawton’s at Novalea (5515 Duffus Street, Halifax) on April 17 between 9:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.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 1.
• The Wolfville Farmers Market (24 Elm Ave, Wolfville) on April 17 between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.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 1.Regardless of whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms, those present at the following locations on the named dates and times 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.
• Wendy’s Kempt Road (3580 Kempt Road, Halifax) on April 15 between 12:00 p.m. and 2:10 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, April 29.
• Freeman’s Little New York (1726 Grafton Street, Halifax) on April 15 between 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 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, April 29.
• The Noodle Guy (964 Main Street, Port Williams) on April 16 between 2:30 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. and April 17 between 5:30 p.m. and 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, April 30.
• Chinatown Restaurant (213 Bedford Highway, Halifax) on April 17 between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 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 1.
• Jenny’s Bar & Grill (6211 Lady Hammond Road, Halifax) on April 18 between 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 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 2.
• Café Marco Polo (15 Kings Wharf Place, Dartmouth) on April 18 between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 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 2.
• The Novel Tea Bookstore Café (15 Young Street, Truro) on April 18 between 1:30 p.m. and 2:45 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 2.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 8782 travelling on April 17 from Montreal (7:30 p.m.) to Halifax (9:30 p.m.). Passengers in rows 3-9 seats A, 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, April 30.
• Air Canada flight 604 travelling on April 18 from Toronto (7:50 a.m.) to Halifax (11:00 a.m.). Passengers in rows 15-21 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 1.
The updated potential COVID exposure advisory map is below; I think it likely there will be more exposure advisories issued tonight, and if so I’ll update the map again.
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