Temporary foreign worker diagnosed with COVID-19

A temporary foreign worker has been identified as the third new COVID-19 case in as many days in Nova Scotia.

The worker has been selfisolating since arriving in the province, as required, the Health Department said in a news release Thursday.

The release didn't specify where the worker is located but Thursday's coronavirus map showed 53 total positive cases in the western region, up from the 52 on the day before.

The foreign worker's infection comes on top of two other travel-related COVID19 positives identified this week by the microbiology lab at the QEII Health Centre in Halifax. The lab conducted 284 Nova Scotia tests on Wednesday.

That brings the active number of cases in Nova Scotia to three. Nova Scotia has 53,994 negative test results, 1,064 positive COVID-19 cases and 63 deaths so far in the pandemic. Two former COVID patients are still in hospital being treated for other reasons.

"These new cases highlight the importance of our public health directives, particularly the 14-day self-isolation period upon arrival in Nova Scotia," said Premier Stephen Mcneil in the Thursday news release.

"These directives are in place to protect us and I ask all Nova Scotians to continue to take care and respect the rules."

On Wednesday, the Nova Scotia Health Authority advised of potential exposure to the virus on a recent Westjet flight. The flight, WS 248, departed from Toronto at 10 a.m. and landed in Halifax shortly after 1 p.m. on June 26.

Anyone on the flight could have been exposed but based on Nova Scotia public health's investigation to date, passengers in rows 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 seats A-C are more likely to have had close contact. Passengers may develop symptoms up to and including July 10 and should self-monitor for signs and symptoms, the health authority said.

The province continues to urge anyone with possible COVID-19 symptoms to go to 811.novascotia.ca. Nova Scotians should also be wearing a non-medical mask when social distancing isn't possible, such as grocery shopping, public health officials have said. As well, regular hand-washing, cough etiquette and other COVID-19 prevention measures are recommended.

For more on symptoms and other COVID-19 information in Nova Scotia, go to novascotia.ca/coronavirus.