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Overview
Demographics
Testing
Vaccination
Schools
Potential exposure advisories
A man in his 70s has died with COVID-19. He lived in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone.
Additionally, 163 cases are newly announced today, but that obviously doesn’t fully clear the 200 or so positive cases Dr. Robert Strang said yesterday were not yet entered into the province’s computer system. Today’s release from the province says that “Public Health continues to work through the backlog of positive cases that need to be contacted and entered into Panorma, the data system,” but doesn’t give any indication how far through the backlog it’s worked through. So today’s new number of 163 doesn’t tell us much.
But of today’s newly announced cases, 134 are in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone, eight are in the Eastern Zone, 13 are in the Northern Zone, and eight are in the Western Zone.
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.
There are now 1,538 known active cases in the province. Forty-nine people are in hospital with the disease, and seven of those are in ICU.
Here are the daily new case numbers and the seven-day rolling averages (today at 168) for the current outbreak, dating from March 28, the last day Nova Scotia had zero new daily cases:
And here’s the graph of daily new cases and the seven-day rolling average since the start of the second wave (Oct. 1):
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:
Here is the active caseload since the start of the second wave on Oct. 1:
And here is the active caseload from the start of the pandemic in March 2020:
Demographics
Today’s newly reported 163 cases are in the following demographics:
• 46 aged 19 or younger (22 girls or women, 24 boys or men)
• 59 aged 20-39 (28 women, 31 men)
• 36 aged 40-59 (19 women, 17 men)
• 20 aged 60-79 (12 women, 8 men)
• 2 aged 80 or over (a woman and a man)
I’ve also created the above chart, showing the percentage of daily positive cases by age cohort, since April 17. In the days immediately before April 17, the daily numbers were so low that the percentages wouldn’t have much meaning beyond the pain of the individual cases.
It would be nice to compare that to the December outbreak in bars, and the first wave, but alas, I didn’t start compiling the age cohort information until recently. But I’m especially interested is seeing how (and if) this changes as vaccination progresses.
The active cases are distributed as follows:
• 439 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 555 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 138 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 39 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 6 is in the West Hants Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 88 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 19 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 4 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 24 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 7 in the Pictou Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 10 in the Cumberland Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 21 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 18 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 7 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network in the Western Zone
One-hundred-and-sixty-three cases are not assigned to a Community Health Network, but they are in the Central Zone.
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 6,911 tests yesterday. This figure does not include the tests taken at the various pop-up testing sites.
There is now some asymptomatic testing at the PCR testing testing centres in the Halifax area, but as I understand it, even there they are given the antigen tests. For the next few days, the only people elsewhere in the province who should be booking PCR tests are the following:
- anyone with symptoms
- anyone who has been notified that they are a close contact of a known case
- anyone who has been at an exposure location
- anyone who has travelled outside Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Everyone not in those categories or in the Halifax area should instead go to a rapid-testing pop-up site.
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
St Andrews Community Centre (Halifax), noon-7pm
Canada Games Centre,, noon-7pmSunday
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
John Martin School (Dartmouth), noon-7pm
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
St Andrews Community Centre (Halifax), noon-7pm
Canada Games Centre, Library, noon-7pm
You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here. No medical experience is necessary.
Those who fall into the categories that require PCR testing can get tests at the Public Health Mobile Units or the Nova Scotia Health labs.
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 in 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
Musquodoboit Valley Memorial Hospital
Saint Mary’s University (Homburg Centre)
Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital (Musquodoboit Harbour)
Zatzman Sportsplex
Northern Zone
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)
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)
Vaccination
Vaccination figures are not provided on the weekend.
People 45 and over can make appointments for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. People who are from 40 to 54 can book an appointment for the AstraZeneca. You can book an appointment here.
Schools
The current status of schools:
All schools in the province are closed through May 31.
Potential exposure advisories
Last night, Public Health issued the following list of potential COVID exposure advisories (the release also contained a couple of corrections from previous releases; I’ve updated the potential exposure map to reflect those corrections):
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.
- Route 123 (Timberlea Express) travelling from Barrington Street to Charles Road in Timberlea on April 30 between 2:45 p.m. and 4:45 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 14.
- Route 21 (Timberlea) travelling from the Lacewood Terminal to Charles Road in Timberlea and back to the Lacewood Terminal on April 30 between 4:00 p.m. and 6:15 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 14.
- Route 21 (Lakeside-Timberlea) travelling from Timberlea to downtown Halifax on May 4 between 6:30 a.m. and 8:00 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 18.
- Route 21 (Lakeside-Timberlea) travelling from downtown Halifax to Timberlea on May 4 between 3:15 p.m. and 4:45 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 18.
- Route 21 (Lakeside-Timberlea) travelling from Timberlea to downtown Halifax on May 5 between 6:30 a.m. and 8:00 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 19.
- Route 8 (Sackville) travelling from the corner of Flamingo Drive and Bedford Highway to Downsview Plaza on May 2 between 9:45 a.m. and 11:30 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 16.
- Route 8 (Sackville) travelling from the corner of Flamingo Drive and Bedford Highway to Downsview Plaza on May 3 between 9:45 a.m. and 11:30 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 17.
- Route 87 (Sackville-Dartmouth) travelling from the Bridge Terminal to the Sackville Terminal on May 1 between 9:00 a.m. and 10:45 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 15.
- Route 85 (Millwood) travelling from the Sackville Terminal to Millwood and back to the Sackville Terminal on May 1 between 9:45 a.m. and 11:15 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 15.
- Route 8 (Sackville) travelling from the Sackville Terminal to Barrington Street on May 1 between 10:15 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 15.
- Route 8 (Sackville) travelling from Barrington Street to the Sackville Terminal on May 1 between 12:00 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 15.
- Route 8 (Sackville) travelling from the Sackville Terminal to Barrington Street on May 1 between 1:45 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 15.
- Route 8 (Sackville) travelling from Barrington Street to the Sackville Terminal on May 1 between 3:30 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 15.
- Route 57 (Russell Lake) travelling from the Woodside Ferry Terminal to the Portland Hills Terminal on May 3 between 5:30 a.m. and 12:30 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.
- Route 159 (Portland Hills) the Metrolink travelling from the Portland Hills Terminal to Scotia Square on May 3 between 2:30 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 17.
- Route 57 (Russell Lake) travelling from the Woodside Ferry Terminal to the Portland Hills Terminal on May 4 between 5:30 a.m. and 12:30 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 18.
- Route 55 (Port Wallace) travelling from the Bridge Terminal to Waverley and back to the Bridge Terminal on April 30 between 12:45 p.m. and 3:45 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 14.
- Route 39 (Flamingo) travelling from the Lacewood Terminal to the Bridge Terminal on April 30 between 5:00 p.m. and 6:45 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 14.
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.
- Air Canada 624 travelling on April 28 from Toronto (9:15 p.m.) to Halifax (12:15 a.m. on April 29). Passengers in rows 12-17, seats A, C and D 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. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 12.
- Air Canada 618 travelling on May 1 from Toronto (8:54 p.m.) to Halifax (11:54 p.m.). Passengers in rows 12-18, seats A, B, C and D and passengers in rows 26-32, 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. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 15.
- Air Canada 8782 travelling on May 2 from Montreal (7:05 p.m.) to Halifax (9:25 p.m.). Passengers in rows 12-15, seats C, D 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. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 16.
- WestJet 232 travelling on May 2 from Calgary (9:28 a.m.) to Halifax (5:08 p.m.). Passengers in rows 4-10, seats A, B, C and D 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. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 16.
- Air Canada 7560 travelling on May 4 from Montreal (6:57 p.m.) to Halifax (9:27 p.m.). Passengers in rows 23-27, seats A, B, C and D 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. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, May 18.
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. Note: in HRM, potential exposure sites that are considered low-risk for transmission are no longer subject to advisories; that’s because everyone in HRM is encouraged to get tested, whether they were at a potential exposure site or not.
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