70 cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia on Thursday, April 29

Jump to sections in this article:
Overview
Variants
Demographics
Testing
Vaccination
Schools
Potential exposure advisories

Seventy new cases of COVID-19 are announced in Nova Scotia today (Thursday, April 29).

Fifty-nine of the new cases are in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone, nine are in the Eastern Zone, and two are in the Northern 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 548 known active cases in the province. Fourteen people are in hospital with the disease, and four of those are in ICU.

Here are the daily new case numbers and seven-day rolling averages (today at 66.5) 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 second wave:

And here is the active caseload from the start of the pandemic in March 2020:

Variants

Once again, there is no update on variant strains of the virus.

So far, there have been 73 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, 12 cases of the B.1.351 variant, and one case of the P.1 variant.

Demographics

Today’s cases are in the following demographics:
• 19 aged 19 or younger (7 girls or women, 12 boys or men)
• 26 aged 20-39 (10 women, 16 men)
• 19 aged 40-59 (10 women, 9 men)
• 6 aged 60-79 (2 women, 4 men)
• 0 aged 80 or over

The active cases are distributed as follows:

• 161 in the Halifax Peninsula/Chebucto Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 216 in the Dartmouth/Southeastern Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 33 in the Bedford/Sackville Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 10 in the Eastern Shore/Musquodoboit Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 4 is in the West Hants Community Health Network in the Central Zone
• 41 in the Cape Breton Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 5 in the Inverness, Victoria & Richmond Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 1 is in the Antigonish & Guysborough Community Health Network in the Eastern Zone
• 8 in the Colchester/East Hants Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 8 in the Pictou Community Health Network in the Northern Zone
• 7 in the Annapolis and Kings Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 4 in the Lunenburg & Queens Community Health Network in the Western Zone
• 4 in the Yarmouth, Shelburne & Digby Community Health Network in the Western Zone

Forty-six cases are not assigned to a Community Health Network, but they are in the Central Zone.

Specific to the nine cases in the Eastern Zone, two (both girls) were 19 or under; three (one woman, two men) were aged 20-39; three (one woman, two men) were aged 40-59; and one was a woman aged 60-79.

Testing

Whatever the technical issue is related to reporting test numbers, it remains.

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
East Dartmouth Community Centre, noon-7pm
Centre 200, 481 George St, Sydney, 11am-7pm
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm
Cineplex Bridgewater, noon-7pm

Friday
Centre 200, 481 George St, Sydney, 11am-7pm
Alderney Gate Public Library, noon-7pm
Halifax Convention Centre, noon-7pm

Saturday
Cineplex Bridgewater, noon-7pm

Sunday
Cineplex Bridgewater, noon-6pm

You can volunteer to work at the pop-up testing sites here. No medical experience is necessary.

Public Health Mobile Units are available for drop-in and pre-booked appointments (symptomatic people and people who have been at the potential exposure sites must pre-book) for PCR tests for people of all ages (results within three days). The units have the following schedule:

Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre (606 Reeves St.)
Thursday, 10am-6:30pm.
Friday, 10am-6:30pm.
Saturday, 10am-4pm

Knights of Columbus (3236 Plummer Ave., New Waterford)
Monday, 10am-6pm
Tuesday, 10am-6pm
*Appointments for New Waterford will open for booking on Friday

But you can also get tested 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
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

Yesterday, 10,424 doses of vaccine were administered. So far, a total of 304,817 doses have been administered; 27.6% of the population has received at least one dose of vaccine.

People who are 55 or over can book an appointment for any of the vaccines —  Pfizer, Moderna, or AstraZeneca; and people who are from 40-54 can also book an appointment for the AstraZeneca. You can book an appointment here.

Schools

I commented on Public Health’s (non)reporting on school-connected cases this morning.

I’ve added school-connected COVID cases that I’m aware of to the potential exposure advisories map (see below).

The current status of schools:

All schools in the province are closed until May 12.

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):

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 COVID-19 symptoms. You can also call 811 if you don’t have online access or if you have other symptoms that concern you.

For the following locations, 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.

• Sobeys (985 Prince St, Truro) on April 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 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 8.
• Walmart (140 Wade Rd, Truro) on April 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 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 8.
• Canadian Tire (90 Robie St, Truro) on April 24 from 12:30 p.m. to 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 8.

Regardless of whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms, those present at the following locations 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.

• YMCA Gottingen Street After-School Program (2269 Gottingen St, Halifax) on April 19 from 3:00 p.m. to 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 3.
• World’s Gym (114 Woodlawn Rd, Dartmouth) on April 19 from 5:00 p.m. to 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 3.
• Alexandra’s Pizza (14 Highfield Park Dr, Dartmouth) on April 20, 21, and/or 22 between 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 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 5.
• Subway (100 Ilsely Ave, Dartmouth) on April 20, 21, and/or 22 between 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 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 5.
• *CORRECTION TO END DATE* Membertou Sport & Wellness Centre (3W4, 95 Maillard St, Membertou) on April 20, 21 and/or April 22 between 3:30 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 6.
• *ADDITIONAL DATES* Big Leagues Pub and Eatery (920 Cole Harbour Rd, Dartmouth) on April 21 between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m., April 22 between 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., April 23 between 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and April 24 between 3 p.m. and 4 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 8.
• Selby’s Bunker Coffee & Grits (1090 Cole Harbour Rd, Dartmouth) on April 21 from 2:00 p.m. to 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 5.
• The Local (2037 Gottingen St, Halifax) on April 21 from 5:30 p.m. to 12:00 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 5.
• Irving Big Stop Truro Heights (86 Connector Rd, Truro) on April 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 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 7.
• Halifax Transit routes:
  • **CORRECTION** Route 3 [not Route 60 as previously noted] travelling from North Street to Dartmouth Bridge Terminal on April 22 between 6:15 a.m. and 7:30 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 6.
  • Route 73 travelling from Dartmouth Crossing towards Wright Terminal on April 20, 21, and/or 22 between 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 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 6.
  • Route 72 travelling from Portland Hills towards Woodlawn Terminal on April 20, 21, and/or 22 between 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 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 6.
  • Route 3 travelling from Lacewood towards Mumford Terminal on April 20, 21, and/or 22 between 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 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 6.
  • Route 3 travelling from Burnside towards Bridge Terminal on April 20, 21, and/or 22 between 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 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 6.

Regardless of whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms, those present at the following locations on the named dates and times are required to self-isolate, get tested and continue self-isolating for 14 days, even with a negative test result.

• Captain William Spry Community Centre “Athletic Training Class” (16 Sussex St, Halifax) on April 19 from 5:30 p.m. to 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 3.

Anyone who was on the following flight 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 21 from Toronto (9:20 p.m.) to Halifax (12:30 a.m. on April 22). Passengers in rows 25-31, 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 6.

The updated potential COVID exposure advisory map is below; you can click on the icons to get information about each site. I’ve also added school-connected cases to the map. 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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