Another person died as a result of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia, the province said Friday, reporting several new outbreaks in long-term care homes.
In a statement, he said that a woman in her 80s in the Downtown Zone has died. It is not known if she had the Omicron variant, however the statement said that she was hospitalized during the Omicron wave.
“I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends who today mourn the loss of their loved one,” Prime Minister Tim Houston said in the statement.
“We need to protect everyone from this virus. Get vaccinated and get your booster shot as soon as you can, get tested if you are not feeling well, and follow public health measures to help protect yourself and your communities. “
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His was the first death the province has seen in nearly two weeks.
There are currently 48 people in the hospital, with seven in the ICU. The ages of those hospitalized range from 31 to 94 years and the average age is 67. Of the 48, 44 were admitted during the Omicron wave.
However, there are far more people with COVID-19 in Nova Scotia hospitals than indicated in the statement. Earlier on Friday, Nova Scotia’s vice president of health medicine reported there are 32 “incidental” cases – people who presented to the hospital for a reason unrelated to COVID, but were found to have the illness on admission, and a another 64 who contracted COVID-19 from hospital outbreaks.
Since they are not hospitalized for COVID-19, they are not included in the hospitalization numbers.
Of the 48 people hospitalized for COVID-19:
- Six (12.5 percent) have received a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine
- 25 (52.1%) are vaccinated with two doses
- Two (4.2%) are partially vaccinated
- And 15 (31.3 percent) are not vaccinated.
“It is important to note that only 10 percent of Nova Scotia residents are not vaccinated,” the statement said.
Nova Scotia also reported 678 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, according to PCR testing. Of these, 394 are in the Central Zone, 108 in the East Zone, 97 in the North Zone and 79 in the West Zone.
Nova Scotia Health labs completed 5,709 tests the day before. There are an estimated 6,615 active cases in Nova Scotia.
According to the COVID-19 dashboard, 90.1% of Nova Scotia residents have received one or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and 82.9% have received both doses. In addition, 18.7 percent have received a third dose.
Long-term care flare-ups
The province reported six new outbreaks, largely staff-related, in long-term care facilities. “Public health is working with the facilities to prevent further spread. Greater public health measures and restrictions have been implemented, ”he said.
Outbreaks involve:
- Six staff members at Blomidon Court in Wolfville
- Five staff members at Orchard Court in Kentville
- Two staff members and a resident of Evergreen Home for Special Care in Kentville
- 10 staff members and one resident at Grand View Manor in Berwick
- Six staff members and three residents at Queens Manor in Liverpool
- Five staff members from The Meadows in Yarmouth.
There are also additional cases in the following long-term care flare-ups:
- Three staff members and two residents at Parkstone in Halifax
- A staff member and two residents at Melville Gardens in Halifax
- Four staff members from the Sagewood in Halifax.
Nova Scotia Health also reported additional cases related to the following outbreaks at three hospitals:
- Two more patients at Cape Breton Regional Hospital in an outbreak involving fewer than five people
- One more patient at Northside General Hospital in an outbreak involving fewer than 10 people
- One more patient in a ward at the Victoria General site of the QEII Health Sciences Center in an outbreak involving fewer than five people.
“All patients are being closely monitored and other infection prevention and control measures are being implemented,” the statement said.
The province renewed its state of emergency on Friday “to protect the health and safety of Nova Scotians and to ensure that security measures and other important actions can continue.”
The order will go into effect at noon Sunday and will run until January 23, unless the government terminates or extends it.
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