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Overview
Vaccination
Demographics
Testing
Potential exposure advisories
Nova Scotiahas announced 49 new cases of COVID-19 today (Monday, May 24).
Of today’s cases, 41 are in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone and eight are in the Eastern Zone. There are no new cases in either the Northern Zone or the Western Zone.
There are now 894 known active cases in the province; 72 people are in hospital with the disease, 19 of whom are in ICU; 98 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 73) 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 are not provided on weekends.
Vaccination appointment booking is open for all people 25 years old or older; you can book a vaccination appointment here.
The expectation is that everyone over 12 will be able to book an appointment by the end of the month, with all first doses actually administered by the end of June.
People in rural areas who need transportation to a vaccine clinic 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
Here is how today’s 74* new cases break down by age cohort:
• 11 aged 19 or younger (5 girls or women, 6 boys or men)
• 22 aged 20-39 (7 women, 15 men)
• 11 aged 40-59 (6 women, 5 men)
• 4 aged 60-79 (2 women, 2 men)
• 1 aged 80 or over (a man)
This graph shows the number of daily cases in each age cohort since April 17:
This graph shows the percentage of daily positive cases by age cohort, since April 17:
The active cases across the province are distributed as follows:
Central Zone
• 297 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network
• 211 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network
• 102 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network
• 24 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network
• 3 in the West Hants Community Health Network
• 56 not assigned to a Community Health Network
Total: 693
Eastern Zone
• 129 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: 131
Northern Zone
• 30 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network
• 9 in the Pictou Community Health Network
• 10 in the Cumberland Community Health Network
Total: 50
Western Zone
• 9 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network
• 11 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network
• 1 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network
Total: 21
Testing
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 4,364 PCR tests yesterday. This does not include the antigen tests conducted at the various 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:
Monday
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
John Martin School (Dartmouth), noon-7pm
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Rockingstone Heights School, noon-7pm
Sackville Sports Stadium, noon-7pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 11am-4pm
Brooklyn Civic Centre (Newport), noon-7pmTuesday
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
Shannon Park School, noon-7pm
Halifax Central Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Burton Ettinger School, noon-7pm
Sackville Sports Stadium, noon-7pm
Centre 200 (Sydney), 3-7pmWednesday
Shannon Park School, noon-7pm
Burton Ettinger School, noon-7pmThursday
Burton Ettinger School, noon-7pm
You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here or 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).
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
The Old School (Musquodoboit)
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)
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 10 retail sites in HRM, a vaccination clinic in Sydney, two Halifax Transit bus routes, and a flight:
Anyone who worked at or visited the following locations on the specified dates and times should visit covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/ to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. You can also call 811 if you don’t have online access, or if you have other symptoms that concern you.
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.
· Atlantic Superstore (650 Portland Street, Dartmouth) on May 19 between 4:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 2.
· Costco (137 Countryview Drive, Dartmouth) on May 20 between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 3.
· Walmart (90 Lamont Terrace, Dartmouth) on:
o May 15 between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
o May 20 between 10:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.
It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 3.· Atlantic Superstore (9 Braemar Drive, Dartmouth) on May 20 between 3:45 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 3.
· Atlantic Superstore (920 Cole Harbour Road, Dartmouth) on May 21 between 2:30 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 4.
· Sobeys (287 Lacewood Drive, Halifax) on May 19 between 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 2.
· Atlantic Superstore (6139 Quinpool Road, Halifax) on May 20 between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 3.
· Walmart (6990 Mumford Road, Halifax) on May 20 between 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 3.
· Sobeys (2651 Windsor Street, Halifax) on: on:
o May 20 between 8:15 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.
o May 21 between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 4.· Atlantic Superstore (745 Sackville Drive, Lower Sackville) on May 21 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 4.
· Sobeys Pharmacy Vaccine Clinic, Sobeys (250 Prince Street, Sydney) on May 21 between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named dates may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 4.
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 #4 (Universities), which runs from Lemarchant & University to Lacewood Terminal, on May 22 between 2:25 p.m. and 2:55 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 5.
· Halifax Transit Route #4 (Universities), which runs from Lacewood Terminal to Lemarchant & University, on May 22 between 4:50 p.m. and 5:10 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 5.
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 21 from Toronto (8:15 a.m.) to Halifax (11:15 a.m.). Passengers in rows 24-30, seats A, C, D and F. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus on this flight on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, June 4.
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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