HALIFAX: As of today, Nova Scotia has 428 confirmed cases of COVID-19 after 21 new cases were identified on Good Friday.
In the Eastern Zone – taking in eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton – no new cases were confirmed yesterday, keeping the total for the region at 37. For more information, go to: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/data. The zone location is based on the location where the sample was collected for testing, not the individual’s location of residence.
The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 885 Nova Scotia tests on Friday and is operating 24-hours.
While most cases in Nova Scotia have been connected to travel or a known case, there is now community spread. That is why travel has been removed as a requirement for testing for COVID-19.
The list of symptoms being screened for has also expanded. Those who have two or more of the following symptoms – fever, new or worsening cough, sore throat, runny nose, and headache – should visit https://811.novascotia.ca/ to determine if they should call 811 for further assessment.
To date, Nova Scotia has 13,632 negative test results, 428 positive COVID-19 test results and two deaths. Confirmed cases range in age from under 10 to over 90. Eight individuals are currently in hospital, four of those in ICU and 95 individuals have now recovered and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved. Cases have been identified in all parts of the province.
Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, has a message for all Nova Scotia children during this difficult and confusing time for them.
“I want to remind Nova Scotians that not only is the Easter Bunny an essential service provider, he is an expert in physical distancing and has been practicing good paw-washing since he was just a young bunny,” said Dr. Strang. “If we continue to work together, we can follow the public health measures, stay safe and still have fun.”
Public health is working to identify and test people who may have come in close contact with the confirmed cases. Those individuals who have been confirmed are being directed to self-isolate at home, away from the public, for 14 days.
Anyone who has travelled outside Nova Scotia must self-isolate for 14 days. As always, any Nova Scotian who develops symptoms of acute respiratory illness should limit their contact with others until they feel better.
It is now more important than ever for Nova Scotians to strictly adhere to the public health orders and directives – practise good hygiene, maintain a physical distance of two metres or six feet from others, limit essential gatherings to no more than five people and stay at home as much as possible.
Nova Scotians can find accurate, up-to-date information, daily testing numbers, handwashing posters and fact sheets at: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus.
A state of emergency was declared under the Emergency Management Act on March 22 and extended to April 19.
There are 22 primary assessment centres in Nova Scotia, 21 operated by Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) – including Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital and St. Martha’s Regional Hospital – and one operated by the IWK Health Centre. Temporary primary assessment centres are operating in two communities.
Two mobile assessment centres are being established by NSHA to do community-based testing; Emergency Health Services operates two field assessment units, one in Halifax Regional Municipality and one in Cape Breton Regional Municipality
The first death in the province was on April 6, a woman in her 70s with underlying medical conditions died in hospital in the Eastern Zone as a result of complications related to COVID-19.
On April 8, Nova Scotia has recorded its second death when a woman in her 90s, with underlying medical conditions, died in the Cape Breton Regional Hospital as a result of complications related to COVID-19.