Nova Scotia reports 485 new COVID-19 cases on Monday

Despite the continued rise, the latest day count is not a big jump: the province announced 476 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday.

There are 317 cases in the central zone, 57 cases in the eastern zone, 36 cases in the northern zone and 75 cases in the western zone, according to a press release from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Over the weekend, the province announced a total of 902 new cases.

Nine people with the virus are now in hospital, two of which are in intensive care.

Outbreak in Halifax Long-Term Care Home

Nova Scotia also reported an outbreak at Parkstone Enhanced Care in Halifax.

A resident and a staff member have tested positive for the virus, but neither are in hospital.

All staff and residents of the care home have been fully vaccinated, according to a press release from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Eligible residents have also had their booster shot.

Prime Minister Tim Houston and Dr. Robert Strang, the county health officer, is expected to provide a COVID-19 update Tuesday at 2 p.m. AT, which will be livestreamed at cbc.ca/ns.

In light of the increase in the number of cases, the province introduced stricter restrictions on meetings and businesses on Friday. Some bars and restaurants are reporting staffing issues, with some closing because employees test positive.

The QEII Health Sciences Center said Friday it would postpone some non-emergency surgeries from Monday.

Delays in test results

Nova Scotia Health said there is a “significant increase” in the demand for testing.

The health bureau’s labs conducted thousands of tests daily, including 9,198 on Sunday.

In a series of tweets on Sunday, the authority said test results normally take 48 to 72 hours and urged the public not to book a second COVID-19 test before receiving the results of a first test.

Booking an additional test, it said, adds to the delays in getting results.

It said it was aware the delays could be stressful for people waiting for results, but it processes thousands of tests a day. Nova Scotia Health is urging the public to be patient.

Most tests in the province are: At the moment only by appointment and bookable here. There are also several fast testing pop-up sites this week. Some people reported long lines waiting for rapid tests, including at the Hammonds Plains Community Center site on Monday, which caused traffic backups on Hammonds Plains Road.

Nova Scotia Health is also: offering several vaccine drop-in clinics across the county this week.

The province has added 24 additional schools since Friday:

• Evangeline Middle School in New Minas
• Northeast Kings Education Center in Canning
• McCulloch Education Center in Pictou
• New Glasgow Academy in New Glasgow
• North Nova Education Center in New Glasgow
• West Pictou Consolidated School in Pictou
• Acadian School of Pomquet in Pompuet
• Ash Lee Jefferson Elementary in Fall River
• Bedford South School in Bedford
• Brookside Junior High at Hatchet Lake
• George Bissett Elementary at Dartmouth
• Hammonds Plains consolidated into Hammonds Plains
• Madeline Symonds Middle School in Hammonds Plains
• Millwood High School in Middle Sackville
• Oxford School in Halifax
• O’Connell Drive Elementary at Porters Lake
• Portland Estates Elementary at Dartmouth
• Rocky Lake Junior High at Bedford
• Sackville High in Lower Sackville
• St Josephs Alexander McKay Elementary in Halifax
• St Margarets Bay Elementary in Head of St Margarets Bay
• dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional High School in Antigonish
• Saint Andrew Junior School in Antigonish
• Tamarac Education Center at Port Hawkesbury

The province maintains a list of school exhibitions here.

case numbers Atlantic Canada

• New Brunswick reported 118 new cases for 1,269 active cases on Monday. There are 42 people in hospital and 17 in intensive care.
• Newfoundland and Labrador reported 38 new cases on Sunday, and none in hospital related to the virus.
• Prince Edward Island reported 21 new cases on Monday for 89 active cases.