HALIFAX: The provincial government has confirmed there is a COVID-19 outbreak at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital.
The Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) reported that less than five patients tested positive at the Antigonish hospital. As a precaution, NSHA said it is testing close contacts, and testing will be available for all staff and doctors on site who want to get tested.
Today, the province reported 522 new cases, the highest recorded since the start of the pandemic, and there have been 2,590 new cases of COVID-19 since Dec. 15.
There are 59 new cases in the Eastern Zone reported today by the NSHA. In the Antigonish Guysborough Community Health Board, there are 202 actives cases, while in the Inverness Victoria Richmond Community Health Board, there are eight active cases.
On December 20, NSHA’s labs completed 10,201 tests. The NSHA said nine people are in hospital, including three in the Intensive Care Unit.
Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang expects daily case numbers will remain in the 450 to 500 range for the next week.
Strong noted that 83 per cent of the latest samples returned from the National Microbiology Lab were positive for the Omicron variant.
The province announced it is strengthening restrictions around masking, gatherings, and physical distancing.
The updated restrictions replace those issued last week and are effective at 6 a.m. tomorrow, the province said, noting they will be in place until at least Jan. 12 and will be re-evaluated then.
The province said a physical distance of two metres is required indoors and outdoors, except among people in the same household or a consistent social group of up to 10 people.
Masks are required in areas of workplaces where physical distance cannot be achieved, as well as common areas, areas where people are serving the public and areas with poor ventilation, the province noted.
People must be seated to remove their mask for eating or drinking; at movie theatres, and they must go to a designated area for eating and drinking, the province said, noting that all other mask requirements for indoor public places remain, including wearing them when seated for other activities
The province said individuals, businesses and organizations all have responsibility for ensuring mask requirements are followed and can be subject to enforcement action.
Indoor and outdoor informal gatherings, typically at home, are limited to 10 people from the same household or consistent social group, the province said. Physical distance and proof of full vaccination are not required, they said, and masks are not required except in indoor public places.
The province said only virtual events are allowed – there are no in-person events such as festivals, special events (including receptions), sports games or tournaments, or arts and culture performances.
A limit of 10 participants indoors and 25 outdoors applies to sports practices and training, but physical distance is not required, and masks are recommended when possible indoors and outdoors; spectators are not allowed, the province noted.
A limit of 10 participants indoors and 25 outdoors applies to professional and amateur arts and culture rehearsals and virtual performances, the province said. They said professionals must have a plan for their workplace, but physical distance is not required, and masks are recommended when possible indoors and outdoors, and spectators and competitions are not allowed.
Gathering limits of 25 per cent of capacity to a maximum of 50 people indoors and outdoors apply to social gatherings, regular faith services, wedding ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and their associated visitation, movie theatres, meetings and training that are hosted by a recognized business or organization, including faith organizations, the province said.
For regular in-person faith services, there can be only one person singing, and no choirs or congregational singing are allowed, the province said, noting drive-in regular faith services are allowed with no limit on the number of vehicles, but the informal gathering limit applies inside each vehicle.
Indoor and outdoor informal wedding ceremonies and faith gatherings, typically at home, are limited to 10 people from the same household or consistent social group, plus one officiant, the province said. They noted that physical distance and proof of full vaccination are not required, and masks are not required except in indoor public places.
The province said indoor and outdoor funeral ceremonies with a maximum of 10 people, plus officiant and funeral home staff, are allowed without proof of full vaccination, and while masks and physical distance are required, proof of full vaccination is still required for any visitation.
Retail businesses, malls, museums, libraries and recreation and leisure businesses and organizations can operate at 50 per cent capacity with physical distance, the province said.
The province said fitness and recreation facilities can operate at 50 per cent capacity with physical distance, and personal training is allowed with as much physical distance as possible.
Personal services like hair salons can operate at the maximum capacity possible with physical distancing but cannot offer services that require removing masks, the province said.
Food establishments and liquor-licensed establishments can operate at 50 per cent capacity, but must have physical distance between tables, and barriers may only be used to achieve 50 per cent capacity but not exceed it, the province noted. They said there is a limit of 10 people per table, dine-in service must stop at 11 p.m. and close by midnight, takeout, drive-thru and delivery can operate later, and only one performer is allowed.
There province said there is a limit of two visitors at a time with long-term care residents, and it must be the same two visitors all the time. They said strong recommend that visitors have a rapid test within 24 hours of the visit. Visitors can have quick close contact like a hug but then need to stay physically distanced for the rest of the visit, they noted.
Even if fully vaccinated, the province said residents can only leave the facility for medical appointments or for a drive, with no stops, and no contact with other people outside the facility. They said only residents who are eligible and had a booster dose can access service providers for recreational activities and personal services like hairstyling.
The province said residents can attend regular faith services in the facility, but the room can have 25 per cent capacity to a maximum of 10 people, only one singer, and no choirs or congregational singing allowed.
The province recommended that residents be in consistent groups for dining and activities.
Residents in Disability Support Program homes licensed under the Homes for Special Care Act have the same visitor restrictions as residents in long-term care but can continue to leave the facility as long as they are fully vaccinated, the province said, noting that it is strongly recommended they have a booster dose if they are eligible.
StFX Academic Vice-President Tim Hynes said on Dec. 20 that the university’s senate approved an on-line exam period early in the new year to allow students to complete all exams deferred from December.
Hynes said classes will resume on Jan. 17 online after the deferred exam period ends, and in-person classes will resume on Jan. 31. Under the plan, he said there will be no classes scheduled on Jan. 28 to accommodate students returning to residence in preparation for in-person classes to begin the following Monday.