90 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia on Tuesday, May 18

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Overview
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Schools
Potential exposure advisories

Nova Scotia announced 90 new cases of COVID-19 today (Tuesday, May 18).

Of today’s cases, 64 are in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone, 17 are in the Eastern Zone, seven are in the Northern Zone, and two are in the Western Zone.

There are now 1,345 known active cases in the province; 103 people are now in hospital with the disease, and 25 of those are in ICU; 180 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 110) 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

Yesterday, 5,198 doses of vaccine were administered

As of end of day yesterday, a total of 436,054 doses of vaccine have been administered, and 39,561 of those were second doses. This pie chart shows the percentage of the total population that has received one or two doses:

Demographics

Here is how today’s 90 new cases break down by age cohort:
• 33 aged 19 or younger (18 girls or women, 15 boys or men)
• 32 aged 20-39 (12 women, 20 men)
• 20 aged 40-59 (10 women, 10 men)
• 3 aged 60-79 (2 women, 1 man)
• 2 aged 80 or over (2 men)

The Halifax Examiner has confirmed that in the third wave, there have been 22 cases of COVID-19 associated with 19 day care centres in HRM.

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:

• 411 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 336 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 148 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 30 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 8 in the West Hants Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 128 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 5 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 0 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 40 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 7 in the Pictou Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 12 in the Cumberland Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 44 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 19 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 3 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network in the Western Zone

Note: 153 cases are not assigned to a Community Health Network, but they are in the Central Zone.

Testing

Nova Scotia Health labs completed 6,216 PCR tests yesterday. This figure does not include the antigen tests taken at the various pop-up testing sites.

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.

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:

Tuesday
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
Credit Union Centre (Kingston), noon-7pm

Wednesday
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
New Minas Fire Hall, noon-7pm

Thursday
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
New Minas Fire Hall, noon-7pm

Friday
Central Spryfield Elementary School, noon-7pm
John Martin School (Dartmouth), noon-7pm

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, as Strang alluded to, asymptomatic testing has been restored at the primary assessment sites listed below.

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

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 13 sites, four 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.

• Walmart Supercentre (65 Keltic Drive, Sydney River) on May 14 between 1:15 p.m. and 3:00 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 28.

• Costco Wholesale (137 Countryview Drive, Dartmouth) on May 14 between 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 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 28.

• Canadian Tire (6203 Quinpool Road, Halifax) on May 13 between 3:30 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 27.

• Walmart Supercentre (6990 Mumford Road, Halifax) on May 13 between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 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 27.

• Canadian Tire (24 Forest Hills Pkwy, Dartmouth) on May 15 between 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 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 29.

• Atlantic Superstore (9 Braemar Drive, Dartmouth) on May 13 between 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 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 27.

• Atlantic Superstore (50 Milton Road, Liverpool) on May 12 between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 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 26.

• Atlantic Superstore (295 NS-214, Elmsdale) on May 13 between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 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 27.

• Atlantic Superstore (1075 Barrington Street, Halifax) on May 12 between 11:30 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 26.

• Costco Wholesale  It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 27.

• Walmart Supercentre (80 Sydney Port Access Road, Sydney) on May 15 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 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 29.

• Park Victoria Apartments (residential elevator) (1333 South Park Street, Halifax) from May 11 to May 17. It is anticipated that anyone who used the residential elevator at this location may have been exposed to the virus on the named dates and may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 31.

• Membertou Chicken & Deli* (located inside Membertou Market) (38 Maillard Street, Membertou) on May 11 between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and May 12 between 10:30 a.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, May 26.
*Delivery service from this location is not included or impacted by this notification.

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 14 (Leiblin Park), which runs from Leiblin (opposite Juniper) to Barrington & Duke on May 13 between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 27.

• Halifax Transit Route 53 (Notting Park), that runs from Highfield Terminal to Summer St (QE II Health Sciences), on May 13 between 7:00 a.m. and 7:45 a.m.  It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 27.

• Halifax Transit Route 41 (Dartmouth-Dalhousie), which runs from Lemarchant St & University Ave to Bridge Terminalon May 13 between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 27.

• Halifax Transit Route 53 (Notting Park), which loops from the Bridge Terminal back to Bridge Terminal on May 13 between 3:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 27.

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 604 travelling on May 14 from Toronto (8:15 a.m.) to Halifax (11:15 a.m.). Passengers in rows 19-25, seats C, D, E and F 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. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 28.

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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