Nova Scotia reports two new COVID-19 cases Wednesday; active cases increase to 37

Top doc in N.S. 'nervous' about next couple months Anchor Steve Murphy interviews Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Robert Strang.

HALIFAX — Health officials in Nova Scotia are reporting two new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Both cases are in the province's Central zone. One is related to travel outside Atlantic Canada. That person is self-isolating, as required.

The other case is a close contact of a previously reported case.

Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin credits Nova Scotians for doing their part and following public health measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

"Continuing the core measures of physical distancing, masking, getting together in small and consistent groups, and getting tested is how we will keep our case numbers low, especially as we open up more and welcome Atlantic Canadian visitors to Nova Scotia," said Rankin.

One previously reported case is now considered resolved, with the total number of active cases increasing to 37.

"Low case numbers are a promising sign, but it does not mean we can become complacent," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health. "We need to be mindful of what's happening in other provinces and know that the situation in Nova Scotia could change quickly if we let our guard down."

N.S. COVID-19 CASE DATA

The Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs completed 1,989 tests on Tuesday. The province has completed 442,049 tests since the pandemic began.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 1,749 COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia. Of those, 1,646 cases have recovered and 66 people have died due to the novel coronavirus.

There is currently one person in hospital due to COVID-19, with no one in the intensive care unit.

There are cases confirmed across the province, but most have been identified in the Central Zone, which contains the Halifax Regional Municipality.

The provincial government says cumulative cases by zone may change as data is updated in Panorama, the province’s electronic information system.

The numbers reflect where a person lives and not where their sample was collected.

The provincial state of emergency, which was first declared on March 22, 2020, has been extended to April 18, 2021.

VACCINE UPDATE

Nova Scotia's COVID-19 online dashboard provides an update on the amount of vaccines that have been administered to date.

As of Wednesday, 123,166 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Of those, 93,097 were first doses and 30,069 Nova Scotians have received their second dose.

Of the vaccines administered 53,305 went to health care workers, and 10,062 were long-term care residents.

As of Tuesday, the province has received a total of 200,250 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and anticipate a delivery of 84,740 doses this week.

NOVA SCOTIANS ENCOURAGED TO SEEK ASYMPTOMATIC TESTING

Public health is strongly encouraging Nova Scotians to seek asymptomatic COVID-19 testing, particularly if they have had several social interactions, even with their own social circle.

COVID-19 tests can be booked through the provinces online self-assessment COVID-19 tool, or by calling 811.

People can also visit one of Nova Scotia’s many rapid pop-up testing sites that continue to operate throughout the province.

COVID ALERT APP

Canada’s COVID-19 Alert app is available in Nova Scotia.

The app, which can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play, notifies users if they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

LIST OF SYMPTOMS

Anyone who experiences a fever or new or worsening cough, or two or more of the following new or worsening symptoms, is encouraged to take an online test or call 811 to determine if they need to be tested for COVID-19: