News
1. COVID
The weekly COVID death count since January. Note that due to a change in the reporting period, the week ending April 11 has just six days.
For the first time in 2022, the province is reporting zero new deaths from COVID for the most recent reporting period, July 25-August 1.
During the same reporting period, 54 people were hospitalized because of COVID.
Nova Scotia Health provided the status of COVID hospitalizations as of yesterday:
• in hospital for COVID-19: 33 (8 of whom are in ICU)
• in hospital for something else but have COVID-19: 148
• in hospital who contracted COVID-19 after admission to hospital: 102
Note that these figures do not include any (if any) children hospitalized at the IWK.
Because the (formerly) weekly epidemiological summary is now monthly, I won’t have the age or vaccination status of the hospitalized until August 15, when the July data will be released.
The weekly new case count since January. The gap reflects a temporary change in testing protocols that make weekly comparisons meaningless. Note that due to a change in the reporting period, the week ending April 11 has just six days.
Also, in the same reporting period, there were 1,683 new lab-confirmed (PCR tests) cases. This does not include people who only tested positive with rapid take-home tests or who didn’t test at all.
In response to a Freedom of Information request, the Department of Health compiled the following demographic information about COVID deaths that occurred between January 1, 2022 and June 20, 2022. The data have been released before, but these tables bring them together:
I don’t know why they play the “<5” game; simple math tells us there was one death in the 10-19 age group and one death in the 30-39 age group.
There are some posts on social media that are causing some alarm, but I advise people to be cautious — much of the data used in the social media posts are completely unsourced, or at least the source is not explicitly stated. I could drill down into that further, but I’m (supposedly) on vacation. Just: don’t believe everything you read on the internet.
2. Pan-African flag
“During African Heritage Month and Emancipation Day celebrations, the red, black, and green Pan-African flag is often seen flying outside of provincial legislatures, municipal town halls, learning institutions, police stations, and during proclamation ceremonies,” writes Matthew Byard. “But what is lesser known is the history of the flag and what it represents.”
3. Muskrat Falls power
A map showing the various transmission components that connect Muskrat Falls to Nova Scotia. Graphic: Emera
Nova Scotia still isn’t receiving the hydro power it has been promised from Muskrat Falls, and probably won’t until well into next year.
Source: NSP Maritime Link Inc.
In an update filed with the Utility and Review Board this week, NSP Maritime Link Inc. (NSPML) states that:
The reduction in deliveries over the ML (Maritime Link) in June 2022 were driven largely by NLH (Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro) taking the LIL (Labrador Island Link) offline for a period during June to conduct testing of updated GE software.
NLH is currently expecting receipt of revised LIL operating software in August 2022. If that software proves acceptable, testing of that software should continue to late fall. Subject to such testing, it is possible that LIL commissioning could be completed by year-end, 2022. However, NSPML’s working assumption is for full LIL commissioning to be achieved by mid-2023, with continued testing and commissioning activities until that time. NSPML understands that during the commissioning period NLH expects to operate the LIL starting at 475 MW capacity and to increase capacity as commissioning proceeds. Even at these reduced pre-commissioning levels, the LIL will be operating at sufficient capacity to deliver NLH’s contractual obligation to Nova Scotia, including any required make-up deliveries.
NSPML continues to work diligently with NSPower and NLH to maximize the delivery, and the value of the NS Block, to Nova Scotia customers during this interim period.
4. Your moment of zen
On’tday aysay Ukraineway:
“Q2 2023, we’ll do a suborbital launch.” Huh.
I see that Maritime Launch Services’ contracted lobbyist, Liam Daly of Sussex Strategy Group, spoke with Andy Filmore in late June.
Maybe the space port will have a glory hole.
Government
No meetings
On campus
Dalhousie
PhD Defence, Civil and Resource Engineering (Friday, 10am, online) — Soraya Roosta will defend “Seismic Performance Assessment of All-Masonry Infilled Frames Using Finite Element Study.”
In the harbour
Halifax
05:00: NYK Meteor, container ship, arrives at Fairview Cove from Hamburg, Germany
08:00: Nolhanava, ro-ro cargo, moves from Bedford Basin anchorage to Pier 42
14:00: BBC Austria, cargo ship, sails from Pier 9 for sea
18:00: Oceanex Sanderling, ro-ro container, sails from Pier 41 for St. John’s
21:30: NYK Meteor sails for Port Everglades, Florida
Cape Breton
06:30: Nieuw Statendam, cruise ship with up to 3,214 passengers, arrives at Sydney Marine Terminal from Boston, on a 24-day round-trip cruise tooling around Newfoundland, Iceland, and Greenland
08:30: Algoma Value, bulker, arrives at Aulds Cove quarry from Sydney
11:00: Phoenix Admiral, oil tanker, arrives at Point Tupper from New York
16:30: Nieuw Statendam sails for Corner Brook
Footnotes
Hot out there, they say.
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