The Halifax Examiner is providing all COVID-19 coverage for free. Please help us continue this coverage by subscribing.
Jump to sections in this article:
Overview
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Schools
Potential exposure advisories
Nova Scotia announced 86 new cases of COVID-19 today (Saturday, May 15).
Of today’s cases, 66 are in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone, 11 are in the Eastern Zone, five are in the Northern Zone, and four are in the Western Zone.
There are now 1,509 known active cases in the province; 96 people are now in hospital with the disease, and 23 of those are in ICU; 115 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 124) 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 is not provided on weekends.
All people who are 35 years old and over can book a vaccination appointment here.
Demographics
Here is how today’s 86 new cases break down by age cohort:
• 20 aged 19 or younger (11 girls or women, 9 boys or men)
• 34 aged 20-39 (14 women, 20 men)
• 24 aged 40-59 (12 women, 12 men)
• 8 aged 60-79 (4 women, 4 men)
• 0 aged 80 or over
This graph shows the daily number of new cases by age cohort since April 17:
This graph shows the percentage of daily positive cases by age cohort, since April 17:
The active cases are distributed as follows:
• 449 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 419 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 156 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 39 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 8 in the West Hants Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 111 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 13 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 2 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 34 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 8 in the Pictou Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 14 in the Cumberland Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 47 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 25 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 2 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network in the Western Zone
One-hundred-and-eighty-one cases are not assigned to a Community Health Network, but they are in the Central Zone.
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 10,272 PCR tests yesterday. This figure does not include the antigen tests taken at the various pop-up testing sites, or the antigen tests collected at some of the PCR testing centres (see below).
You do not need a health card to get tested.
In response to increasing numbers of new cases of unknown origin in the Sydney and Bridgewater areas and in the Annapolis Valley, Public Health has increased testing at a number of sites, including the Acadia Festival Theatre in Wolfville; the Berwick Fire Hall; 210 Aberdeen Road, Bridgewater; the Membertou Entertainment Centre; Centre 200 in Sydney; and the Grand Lake Road primary assessment centre. Go here for details.
Also, in response to low-risk potential exposure advisories in the Parrsboro area, there will be testing at the South Cumberland Community Care Centre on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:30am-3:30pm, but by appointment only (appointment booking opens Monday).
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
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Central Spryfield Elementary School, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
John Martin School (Dartmouth), noon-7pm
Bridgewater Cineplex, noon-6pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 11am-4pmSunday
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Central Spryfield Elementary School, noon-7pm
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
John Martin School (Dartmouth), noon-7pm
Bridgewater Cineplex, noon-6pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 11am-4pm
You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites 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).
Also, asymptomatic testing has been restored at at least some of the PCR testing centres listed below, but as I understand it, some of those locations may be giving asymptomatic people the antigen tests and not the PCR tests.
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
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)
Schools
The current status of schools:
All schools in the province are closed through May 31.
Potential exposure advisories
Potential COVID exposure advisories were issued last night for 16 sites and two flights. One of those sites was the vaccination clinic at the Forum — but understand that the majority of potential exposure sites have no documented transmission of the virus.
Also, 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.
Anyway, here’s last night’s list:
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.
• Pharmasave (158 Robert Angus Drive, Amherst) on May 10 between 2:45 p.m. and 4:15 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 24.
• Foodland (311 Cornwallis Street, Kentville)
o May 3 between 4:30 p.m. and 9:30 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 17.
o May 7 between 4:30 p.m. and 9:30 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 21.• Home Depot (21 Silver Fox Avenue, New Minas) on May 9 between 11:15 a.m. and 12:45 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 23.
• Halifax Forum – Multi-Purpose Centre – Vaccine Clinic (6210 Young Street, Halifax) on April 30 between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 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 14.
• Atlantic Superstore (3601 Joseph Howe Drive, Halifax) on May 10 between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 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 24.
• Sobeys (287 Lacewood Drive, Halifax) on May 11 between 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 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 25.
• Walmart (6990 Mumford Road, Halifax) on May 11 between 11:00 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 25.
• Walmart (220 Chain Lake Drive, Halifax)
o May 10 between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 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 24.
o May 12 between 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 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 26.• Costco (230 Chain Lake Drive, Halifax) on May 12 between 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 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 26.
• Walmart (90 Lamont Terrace, Dartmouth) on May 7 between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 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 21.
• Home Depot (40 Finnian Row, Dartmouth) on May 7 between 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 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 21.
• Sobeys (210 Wyse Road, Dartmouth) on May 7 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 21.
• No Frills (118 Wyse Road, Dartmouth) on May 7 between 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 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 21.
• Tim Hortons (644 Portland Street, Dartmouth) on May 10 between 1:30 p.m. and 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 24.
• Atlantic Superstore (745 Sackville Drive, Lower Sackville) on May 8 between 5:30 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 22.
• Fancy Chopsticks (324 Porters Lake Station Road, Porters Lake)
o May 8 between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 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 22.
o May 9 between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 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 23.CORRECTION to Casino Taxi public exposure notification issued on Thursday, May 13. This public exposure is now void as Public Health has been able to identify all those potentially exposed to COVID-19 on May 1, 2 and 3 while using Casino Taxi. If you have not been contacted, you are not considered at risk of exposure. Public Health continues to encourage all Nova Scotians to get tested regularly.
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 618 travelling on May 5 from Toronto (8:55 p.m.) to Halifax (11:55 p.m.). Passengers in rows 25 – 31, seats A, B, C and D. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 19.
• Air Canada 7560 travelling on May 10 from Montreal (7:05 p.m.) to Halifax (9:30 p.m.). Passengers in rows 13 – 19, seats A, C and D. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 24.
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.
The Halifax Examiner is an advertising-free, subscriber-supported news site. Your subscription makes this work possible; please subscribe.
Some people have asked that we additionally allow for one-time donations from readers, so we’ve created that opportunity, via the PayPal button below. We also accept e-transfers, cheques, and donations with your credit card; please contact iris “at” halifaxexaminer “dot” ca for details.
Thank you!
