Province reports 24 new deaths

HALIFAX — Another 24 Nova Scotians died in the week ending May 16, bringing the death count to 88 in the past month, even as the provincial government moves to remove mask requirements in schools and resists calls to require masks in indoor spaces.

There were also 59 new hospitalizations, an average of more than eight a day.

Of the 24 deaths, 22 were among people aged 70 or older, the age group in which hospitalization is nearly 11 times higher, and the risk of death is nearly 114 times higher for people.

In a short teleconference with news organizations on Thursday, Dr. Shelley Deeks, the deputy chief medical officer of health for Nova Scotia, said the two people who died who were not above the age of 70 were in the 50- to 69-year-old age group.

“It’s not unusual for deaths to lag behind case numbers and even hospitalizations,” Deeks said. “l expect in the coming weeks the number of deaths will decrease. One of the issues is that we continue to have … people getting infected – particularly older people – and even though the proportion of people who are dying is decreasing in this wave, given the total numbers, we do expect to have deaths as our numbers are high.”

There were 2,513 new lab-confirmed cases during the reporting term, which doesn’t include unreported positive rapid tests people take at home.

Deeks said the number of infections has had an impact on the rate of booster vaccine uptake.

“We are increasing vaccine coverage for both our first booster dose as well as our second booster dose,” she said.

“Part of the reason that the increase – particularly for the second booster dose – is slower than previously would be because of the delay that you need between after infection and receiving your booster dose.

“We recommend a threemonth interval, and given the number of people that have been infected recently, that has delayed update. But we’re continuing to push out messaging on the importance of getting immunized, which includes getting your booster dose immunization.”

Thirty-six people remain hospitalized due to COVID, six of whom are in ICU. There are 179 people in hospital for other reasons but who have COVID-19. There are 92 patients currently in hospital who contracted COVID-19 after admission.

In a news release issued Thursday, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development said the mask requirement in public schools will end as of Tuesday.

Masks will continue to be recommended and all who choose to wear one will be supported, including students, staff, outside service providers, volunteers and visitors.

“Throughout the pandemic, we’ve worked closely with public health and taken steps to keep staff and students safe,” Becky Druhan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, said in the release. “We strongly encourage students and staff to continue to wear masks, and we will continue to support staff and students as well as continue to supply masks and hand sanitizer.”

As warmer weather approaches in June and classes can spend more time outdoors, and with Nova Scotia’s health data and school attendance data improving, Minister Druhan said now is the time to make masks optional in schools.

All Canadian provinces have removed mask mandates in schools, the release said.

The IWK Children’s hospital reported 55 positive cases among staff, with 40 isolating and less than 5 hospitalizations.