Olivia Healy of Dartmouth hits a coronavirus piñata her mom, Sue, made to celebrate her eighth birthday today. Olivia is celebrating with her dad, Jeff, and siblings, Nestor and Liam. Photo: Sue Healy.

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Jump to sections in this article:
Overview
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Potential exposure advisories

A  woman in her 60s has died from COVID-19. She lived in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone. She is the 77th person to die from the disease in Nova Scotia.

Additionally, Nova Scotia announced 64 new cases of COVID-19 today (Saturday, May 22).

Of today’s cases, 46 are in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone, 10 are in the Eastern Zone, seven are in the Northern Zone, and one is in the Western Zone.

There are now 975 known active cases in the province; 74 people are now in hospital with the disease, and 20 of those are in ICU; 116 more people are considered recovered today.

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.

Here are the daily new case numbers and the seven-day rolling averages (today at 86) for the current outbreak, dating from March 28, the last day Nova Scotia had zero new daily cases:

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:

And here is the active caseload from the start of the pandemic in March 2020, showing the primary associations of each of the major outbreaks:

Vaccination

Vaccination data are not provided on weekends.

Vaccination appointment booking is open for all people 25 years old or older; you can book a vaccination appointment here.

The expectation is that everyone over 12 will be able to book an appointment by the end of the month, with all first doses actually administered by the end of June.

People in rural areas who need transportation to a vaccine clinic 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

Here is how today’s 64 new cases break down by age cohort:
• 17 aged 19 or younger (9 girls or women, 8 boys or men)
• 33 aged 20-39 (14 women, 19 men)
• 8 aged 40-59 (3 women, 5 men)
• 6 aged 60-79 (4 women, 2 men)
• 0 aged 80 or over

This graph shows the number of daily cases in each age cohort since April 17:

This graph shows the percentage of daily positive cases by age cohort, since April 17:

The active cases across the province are distributed as follows:

• 295 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 214 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 102 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 21 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 3 in the West Hants Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 129 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 2 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 0 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 31 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 7 in the Pictou Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 14 in the Cumberland Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 17 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 15 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 1 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network in the Western Zone

Note: 123 cases are not assigned to a Community Health Network, but they are in the Central Zone.

Testing

Nova Scotia Health labs completed 8,588 PCR tests yesterday.

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:

Saturday
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
John Martin School (Dartmouth), noon-7pm
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Rockingstone Heights School, noon-7pm
Sackville Sports Stadium, noon-7pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 11am-4pm
Brooklyn Civic Centre (Newport), noon-7pm

Sunday
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
John Martin School (Dartmouth), noon-7pm
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Rockingstone Heights School, noon-7pm
Sackville Sports Stadium, noon-7pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 11am-4pm
Brooklyn Civic Centre (Newport), noon-7pm

Monday
Rockingstone Heights School, noon-7pm
Shannon Park School, noon-7pm

Tuesday
Shannon Park School, noon-7pm

Wednesday
Shannon Park School, noon-7pm

You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here or here. No medical experience is necessary.

Public Health Mobile Units are available only for pre-booked appointments for PCR tests for people of all ages (results within three days). There are currently no mobile units scheduled.

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 listed below in each of 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
The Old School (Musquodoboit)
Saint Mary’s University (Homburg Centre)
Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital (Musquodoboit Harbour)
Zatzman Sportsplex

Northern Zone
Lloyd E. Matheson Centre (Elmsdale)
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) — moving to Amherst Stadium on Monday
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)

Potential exposure advisories

Public Health only issues potential exposure advisories when they think they may not have been able to contact all close contacts at that locale. The large majority of potential exposure sites never make it onto a public advisory.

Potential COVID exposure advisories were issued last night for five sites, eight bus routes, and one flight:

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, as are the other members of your household.

• *CORRECTION – no exposure* McDonalds (3486 Kempt Road, Halifax) on May 15 between 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 29.

• Walmart Bayers Lake (220 Chain Lake Drive, Halifax) on:
— May 16 between 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.
— May 17 between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
— May 18 between 8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
— May 20 between 5:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 3

• Ultramar (2816 Gottingen Street, Halifax) on:
— May 17 between 1:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
— May 18 between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
— May 19 between 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 2.

• Atlantic Superstore (6139 Quinpool Road, Halifax) on May 18 between 8:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 1.

• Atlantic Superstore (6141 Young Street, Halifax) on May 20 between 8:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 3.

• Foodland Berwick (223 Commercial Street, Berwick) on May 21 between 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 4.

Regardless of whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms, any passengers who were on the following transit routes for at least 15 minutes 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.

• Halifax Transit Route #3 (Crosstown), which runs from Marketplace and Bancroft to Lacewood Terminal, on May 17 between 6:05 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 31.
• Halifax Transit Route #4 (Universities), which runs from Lacewood Terminal to LeMarchant and University, on May 17 between 1:00 p.m. and 1:20 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 31.
• Halifax Transit Route #8 (Sackville), which runs from Halifax to Sackville Terminal, on May 17 between 3:40 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 31.
• Halifax Transit Route #8 (Sackville), which runs from Sackville Terminal to Halifax, on May 17 between 8:20 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 31.
• Halifax Transit Route #8 (Sackville), which runs from Halifax to Sackville Terminal, on May 18 between 3:40 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 1.
• Halifax Transit Route #8 (Sackville), which runs from Sackville Terminal to Halifax, on May 18 between 10:20 p.m. and 11:10 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 1.
• Halifax Transit Route #8 (Sackville), which runs from Halifax to Sackville Terminal, on May 19 between 12:50 p.m. and 1:50 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 2.
• Halifax Transit Route #8 (Sackville), which runs from Sackville Terminal to Halifax, on May 19 between 9:20 p.m. and 10:10 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 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. All other passengers on these flights should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

• Air Canada 7560 travelling on May 18 from Montreal (7:05 p.m.) to Halifax (9:29 p.m.). Passengers in rows 17-23, seats C, D and F. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 1.

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 zoom in and click on the coronavirus icons to get information about each site.

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Tim Bousquet is the editor and publisher of the Halifax Examiner. Twitter @Tim_Bousquet Mastodon

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6 Comments

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  1. Does anyone know why there are always so many cases not assigned to any community health district? Has it ever been asked? By the way it seems that there has been one case unassigned in western zone for a while so are there not 124 unassigned, not 123.

  2. Hi Tim,

    The next time you are questioning Dr. Strang, could you ask him if the vaccine status is available for the daily Covid case number? It would seem to be a useful fact that nobody addresses.

    1. It’s asked repeatedly.

      Here’s my exchange with Strang on May 10:

      Bousquet: Dr. Strang, recognizing that there’s been privacy issues and you couldn’t give these sort of details before, but unfortunately the numbers have been much larger, so I think those issues are not so much at play, can you — of the people who are in ICU, the people in hospital, the people who have died, can you give us an indication of what the vaccination status has been with those people?

      Strang: So I don’t have a breakdown of all the cases. What I do know is that we’ve had certainly some cases — and I don’t know whether any of them are in a hospital or not. We do know we’ve had some cases of people who were vaccinated — virtually all of them were people who became ill within a short period of time after getting vaccinated, which means they were exposed either before they got vaccinated or shortly after getting vaccinated. You have to be able to remember it takes two weeks in healthy people to get a full immune response. And especially if people are elderly or have underlying health conditions, it may take up to three weeks to get the maximum immune response. So if you’re exposed to COVID shortly after getting vaccinated, it’s not surprising at all that some people still get sick. We also know the vaccines aren’t 100%. So there may even be people who have had two doses of vaccine who are still getting COVID infection. But what we do know is that for them, their disease is in all likelihood going to be mild and that they’re going to be much less infectious and much less able to pass the virus on to other people.

      Basically the same question was asked Friday (May 21) by Natasha Pace:

      Pace: Can you talk a bit about whether or not any of the people who have been hospitalized this wave, if they have had their vaccine at all? That’s a question a lot of people really want an answer to.

      Strang: So we’re working overall and to have more data on all our cases, not just hospital cases, and how many of them are vaccinated. And so the epidemiologists are working to get more of that information. We should be able to bring a more comprehensive picture forward in the near future. But as I said on Wednesday, we’re not surprised. We actually expect it’s normal — no vaccine is 100 percent. And as you have a higher and higher percentage of your population vaccinated and you still have virus circulating, a growing proportion of your cases are going to be in people who are vaccinated. That’s what we expect. It doesn’t mean that the vaccine is not working. It doesn’t mean that the vaccine is failing. What we know that people will get that good protection, but not 100 percent protection from the first dose of vaccine. And we’ll get very good protection against severe illness. But not everybody. So some people will get what we call breakthrough infection. But we also know that people who have the breakthrough infection will get, in all likelihood, much milder symptoms and are much less likely to be able to transmit the virus to others. So even if they have a breakthrough infection, that doesn’t mean that the vaccine isn’t providing them and others around them some benefit.

  3. Thank you for keeping everyone updated! Just FYI, testing in Musquodoboit Harbour is not at the hospital anymore, but at the Old School a few blocks further down the road.