Five new cases of COVID-19 reported
Nova Scotia reported five new cases of COVID-19 on Monday as the province continued to keep a lid on infections to the single-digit range.
Two of the cases are in the central zone - one is under investigation and the other is related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada.
Two cases in the western zone and one case in the northern zone are all close contacts of a previously reported case.
The number of active cases have been dropping in recent days and that continued on Monday when the number dropped by two to 57.
"We are seeing a shift in the epidemiology in our province," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, in a news release.
"Most of our cases are related to travel or are a close contact of a previously reported case. This highlights the risk of reintroduction of COVID-19 associated with non-essential travel. As we approach the holiday season, I encourage you to limit social contacts and non-essential travel and continue to follow all the other public health measures."
Premier Stephen Mcneil noted that Nova Scotia will reach a milestone this week with the arrival of the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
“This is great news, but it will take time for everyone to get their shots. That means we have to keep following the public health protocols – isolate when required, wear a mask, limit social contacts and travel, practise social distancing, stay home when feeling unwell and wash your hands.”
The release gave no details but last week the province said the vaccines were expected to arrive Tuesday. Health-care providers who work in settings where COVID-19 patients could be treated - such as intensive care units, emergency departments and long-term-care COVID units, will be the first to get the Pfizer shots.
A personal care worker in Ontario was the first person in Canada to be immunized Monday.
Strang and Mcneil will hold a news briefing Tuesday at 3 p.m.
The province extended COVID-19 testing in the Annapolis Valley following an outbreak at the Eden Valley poultry processing plant in Berwick. Standard PCR swabs will be available at the Berwick and Middleton fire halls on Monday and Tuesday. The times in Berwick will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday although the site will be closed between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. both days. In Middleton, the times will be 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.on Monday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
In a tweet Monday, the Health Department asked people to be patient as they waited for their tests.
The province also has extended the deadline for asymptomatic people who want to book a COVID-19 test online until Friday Dec. 18.
Nova Scotia Health Authority's labs completed 1,209 Nova Scotia tests on Sunday.
Since Oct. 1, Nova Scotia has done 87,807 tests. There have been 331 positive results, 274 resolved cases and no deaths. No one is in hospital. Cases range in age from under 10 to over 70.