Jump to sections in this article:
Overview of today’s cases
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Potential exposure advisories
Nova Scotia announced 19 new cases of COVID-19 today, Thursday, Oct. 21.
By Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone, the new cases break down as:
• 9 Northern Zone
• 8 Central Zone
• 2 Western Zone
The Department of Health reports that a fifth patient in a non-COVID unit at Valley Regional Hospital has tested positive for COVID-19. One person is in intensive care at the hospital.
The department continues to note that “there are signs of community spread among those in Central Zone aged 20 to 40 who are unvaccinated and participating in social activities.”
There are now 163 known active cases in the province. Fifteen people are in hospital with the disease, five of whom are in ICU. Twenty-one people are considered newly recovered, which means they are no longer contagious and not necessarily that they aren’t sick.
Vaccination
Yesterday, 3,107 doses of vaccine were administered — 1,567 second doses and 1,540 first doses.
By end of day yesterday, 82.7% of the entire population (including young children) have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 77.4% have received two doses.
People 12 years old and older can also book a vaccination appointment 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.
Demographics
By age cohort, the new cases break down as:
• 7 are aged 0-11
• 2 are aged 12-19
• 6 are aged 20-39
• 3 are aged 40-59
• 1 is aged 60-79
• 0 are aged 80 or older.
There were four notices of potential exposure at a school yesterday — at West Highlands Elementary (Amherst), E.B. Chandler Junior High (Amherst), Caledonia Junior High, and Joesph Howe Elementary. Joe Howe is closed through Friday; the others have no enhanced Public Health measures.
Some schools may have multiple notifications on the same day.
The active cases across the province are distributed as follows:
Central Zone
• 72 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network
• 32 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network
• 16 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network
• 1 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network
• 1 in the West Hants Community Health Network
• 1 not assigned to a Community Health Network
Total: 123
Eastern Zone
• 0 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network
• 1 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network
• 1 in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network
Total: 2
Northern Zone
• 3 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network
• 1 in the Pictou Community Health Network
• 15 in the Cumberland Community Health Network
Total: 19
Western Zone
• 16 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network
• 2 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network
• 1 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network
Total: 19
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 3,648 PCR tests yesterday. This does not include the antigen tests administered at the pop-up testing sites.
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:
Thursday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm — home testing pick up only; no on-site testing
Centennial Arena, 10am-5pmFriday
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm — home testing pick up only; no on-site testing
Centennial Arena, 1qam-7pm
You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here or here. No medical experience is necessary.
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 each of the health zones (appointments may not be available at each site).
Potential exposure advisories
Nova Scotia Health issued several potential COVID exposure advisories yesterday, and four new school exposures.
We’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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