HALIFAX: The province has confirmed that there have been 344 total cases linked to the outbreak at StFX University.
“Cases continue to be reviewed to confirm the nature of their involvement with the cluster,” provincial spokesperson Marla MacInnis wrote in an email to The Reporter.
In the Antigonish Guysborough Community Health Board, the province said there are 184 active cases, and four active cases in the Inverness Victoria Richmond Community Health Board.
The province added École acadienne de Pomquet to the school exposure advisory list, along with St. Andrews Consolidated School in St. Andrew’s, Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional High School in Antigonish, Chedabucto Education Centre/Guysborough Academy, Saint Andrew Junior School in Antigonish, and Tamarac Education Centre in Port Hawkesbury. A list of schools with exposures is available online: https://backtoschool.ednet.ns.ca/school-exposures.
The Nova Scotia Community College Strait Area Campus in Port Hawkesbury was confirmed as another exposure site.
Nova Scotia Public Health issued a close contact exposure advisory for the Irving Big Stop Restaurant in Auld’s Cove on Dec. 10 between 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. They anticipate that anyone exposed to the virus may develop symptoms up to, and including, Dec. 24.
The province confirmed that most public school students will start their holiday break after classes end this Friday. As the start of the official holiday break remains Dec. 22, they noted that all staff will report to work as usual next week unless they are required to isolate for public health reasons. Learning centres will remain open on Dec. 20 and 21, they added.
The province reported no new cases at senior’s living community, Parkland Antigonish, They said two residents and two staff members from the retirement home tested positive and one staff member from Mary’s Court, the licensed long-term care neighbourhood, tested positive.
No one is in hospital, the province said, noting all staff and residents are fully vaccinated, and all residents of Mary’s Court have had a booster shot.
Due to delays with data entry into Panorama (public health’s case management system), the province said the number of positive cases being released are lab results, not Panorama results. They noted that this better reflects the situation on the ground.
Since this may be the only contact a positive case has with public health, they said detailed follow-ups are being prioritized to support contact tracing in schools, long-term care, health care facilities, correctional facilities, shelters, and other group settings.
“We are reporting lab confirmed cases at this time because there are simply too many cases to be investigated and entered in a timely manner into our public health information system Panorama,” Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang stated. “The spread of this virus and the volume of cases have exceeded public health capacity. Given high case numbers could continue for a while, we are focusing our efforts on cases that involve vulnerable people and settings like schools, long-term care facilities, and health care facilities.”
The province announced updates to the restrictions announced on Dec. 15, the first that masks are required indoors at public schools where physical distancing cannot be maintained, but masks are not required outdoors.
Spectators at sports games or arts and culture performances cannot eat or drink in the main seating area of the recreation facility or event venue, and must go to a designated area for eating and drinking, the province said.
Except for medical appointments, residents in long-term care can only leave the facility if they are fully vaccinated, and the province strongly recommends that they have their booster dose as well.
According to the province, residents in Disability Support Program homes licensed under the Homes for Special Care Act have the same restrictions as residents in long-term care.
This is in addition to the measures announced on Dec. 13 including that school sports are limited to team skills training only, there will be no assemblies and no holiday concerts, there will be no mixing of classes, including a pause on activities like Reading Buddies; only essential visitors are permitted in schools, masks are required indoors and outdoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained, and there will be limited access to cafeterias.
Fully vaccinated community members can use school gyms and theatres after hours if operationally feasible, the province noted.
Starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, and lasting until at least the new year, the province confirmed there will be enhanced physical distance and mask requirements, specifically 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 20 people. They said places like fitness and recreation facilities, retail businesses, malls, museums, libraries, and personal services like hair salons can operate at the maximum capacity possible with physical distancing.
The province said food establishments and liquor-licensed establishments must have physical distance between tables, and a limit of 20 people per table. People must be seated to remove their mask for eating or drinking, and all other mask requirements for indoor public places remain, including wearing them when seated for other activities.
Masks are required in workplaces where physical distance cannot be achieved, as well as common areas where people are serving the public and areas with poor ventilation, the province said. They said individuals, businesses and organizations all have responsibility for ensuring mask requirements are followed and can all be subject to enforcement action.
Indoor and outdoor informal gatherings, typically at home, are limited to 20 people from the same household or consistent social group, the province said.
The province said there will be gathering limits of 50 per cent of capacity, to a maximum of 150 people indoors, and 250 outdoors. They said this applies to social gatherings, regular faith services, weddings, funerals and their associated receptions and visitation, special events, meetings, training, festivals, and audiences for sports events and arts and culture events (like performances and movie theatres) that are hosted by a recognized business or group, including faith organizations.
A limit of 60 participants indoors and outdoors applies to sports practices, games, and regular league play, the province said, noting tournaments are not allowed.
The province set a limit of 60 participants indoors and outdoors for professional and amateur arts and culture rehearsals and performances. They said competitions are not allowed, professionals must have a plan for their workplace, physical distance is not required, and masks are recommended when possible indoors and outdoors.
Children age 11 and younger continue to be restricted from entering Nova Scotia to participate in sports and arts and culture events and from participating in them outside Nova Scotia, the province said.
As for long-term care, the province said there is now a limit of two visitors at a time with long-term care residents, and it is strongly recommended that visitors have a rapid test within 24 hours of the visit. They said visitors can have quick close contact like a hug but then need to stay physically distanced for the rest of the visit, but the requirement for visitors to wear masks and be fully vaccinated, except for end-of-life visits, remains. They said residents can only leave the facility for overnight visits if they are fully vaccinated, and it is strongly recommended they have their booster dose.