COVID-19: NS Reports 19 New Cases, Outbreak Grows at Kentville Hospital – Halifax | The Canadian News

Nova Scotia reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, including a fifth patient in a COVID-free unit at Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville.

Now there is a person in intensive care at that hospital, as part of this outbreak.

“The Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) continues to test patients, staff and physicians identified as close contacts,” the province said in a news release.

“As a precautionary measure, the NSHA has made the tests available to staff and physicians wherever they want to be tested.”

1:45Nova Scotia Says Kentville Hospital Outbreak Was Limited So Far

Breakdown of new cases

Of the 19 new cases, nine are in the North Zone, eight in the Central Zone and two in the West Zone.

On Wednesday, four schools were notified of an exposure.

Are:

• West Highlands Elementary School in Amherst
• EB Chandler Junior High in Amherst
• Caledonia Junior High in Dartmouth
• Joseph Howe Elementary in Halifax

Joseph Howe Elementary is one of three schools that have already closed this week due to the number of COVID-19 cases.

With 21 new recoveries, Nova Scotia’s active case count is now 163. Of those, 15 people are in the hospital, including five in the ICU.

On Wednesday, NSHA labs completed 3,648 tests.