Jump to sections in this article:
Overview
Vaccination
Testing
Nova Scotia is reporting two new COVID deaths today (Friday, Feb. 25). The deceased are a man and a woman, both in their 80s and both who lived in Nova Scotia Health’s Eastern Zone.
Additionally, the province is reporting a total of 335 people in hospital who either now have COVID or once did have COVID, as follows:
• 44 admitted because of COVID symptoms (a recent low), 11 of whom are in ICU. Those 44 range in age from 0 to 96 years old, and their median age is 67;
• 125 admitted to hospital for other reasons but who tested positive for COVID during the admissions screening or who were admitted for COVID but no longer require specialized care;
• 165 who contracted COVID in the hospital outbreaks
The 44 people now hospitalized because of COVID have the following vaccination status:
• 15 (34.1%) have had 3 doses
• 19 (43.2%) have had 2 doses but not 3
• 1 (2.3%) has had 1 dose only
• 9 (20.5%) are unvaccinated
Note that less than 9% of the population is unvaccinated.
My very rough calculation of the rate by vaccination status of those hospitalized (based on numbers of the population in each category two weeks ago) is as follows:
• (15) a rate of 3.1 per 100K with 3 doses
• (19) a rate of 5.6 per 100K with 2 doses (but not 3)
• (1) a rate of 1.6 per 100K with 1 dose only
• (9) a rate of 9.7 per 100K unvaccinated
Additionally, the province announced 170 new cases of COVID-19 today. The new cases are people who received a positive PCR test result from a Nova Scotia Health lab; it does not include people who tested positive using a take-home rapid (antigen) test.
By Nova Scotia Health zone, the new cases break down as:
• 64 Central
• 42 Eastern
• 25 Northern
• 39 Western
Based on PCR testing, the Dept. of Health estimates that there are 1,888 active cases in the province.
The graph above shows the number of reported weekly cases (green, left axis) and reported weekly deaths (red, right axis).
The graph above shows the number of weekly cases (green, left axis) and the number hospitalized on Fridays (orange, right axis) for the duration of the pandemic.
Hospital outbreaks
There are new cases at three ongoing hospital outbreaks:
• Inverness Consolidated — 4 new for a total of fewer than 10
• Sutherland Harris Memorial (Pictou) — 1 new for a total of fewer than 10
• Cape Breton Regional — 1 new for a total of fewer than 10
Long-term care outbreak
There is also a new outbreak at a long-term care facility — Debert Court Continuing Care Residence in Debert, in which three residents have tested positive.
Vaccination
Yesterday, 2,060 doses of vaccine were administered:
• 108 first doses
• 614 second doses
• 1,338 third doses
In total, 2,210,140 doses have been administered:
• 882,591 first doses
• 829,001 second doses
• 498,548 third doses
At the end of the day yesterday, 92.1% of the entire population have received at least 1 dose of vaccine:
• 5.5% with 1 dose only
• 35.1% with 2 doses but not 3
• 51.5% with 3 doses
• 7.9% unvaccinated
The graph above shows the vaccination progress as captured on Fridays through the pandemic. The yellow line is people with at least one dose of vaccine The blue line is people with only one dose. The green line is people with two doses but not three. The grey line is people with three doses. The red line is 80% of the population.
Appointments for boosters are now open to people 18 and over for whom 168 days have passed since their second shot.
Vaccination appointments for people 5 years of age and older can be booked 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.
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 1,861 PCR tests yesterday, with a positivity rate of 9.1%.
If you test positive with a rapid (antigen) test, you are assumed to definitely have COVID, and you and your household are to self-isolate as required.
Pop-up testing has been scheduled for the following sites:
Saturday
Halifax Central Library, 11am-6pm
Alderney Gate, 10am-2pm
Glace Bay Legion, 11am-3pm
Barrington Lions Club, 11am-3pm
You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here or here. No medical experience is necessary.
Subscribe to the Halifax Examiner
The Halifax Examiner is an advertising-free, subscriber-supported news site. Your subscription makes this work possible.
We have many other subscription options available, or drop us a donation. Thanks!
Remember, some people with only one dose are fully vaccinated, ignoring whether they have a booster or not. This is the case if they have the Jansen vaccine.
Your first graph is telling! Thanks for all your reliably excellent reporting on Covid. I would like to be able to “share” your page. Is there a way, or shall I just continue to recommend to friends that they subscribe?
The COVID articles are not behind the paywall, so you can send the link.