Nova Scotia reports 5 new COVID-19 cases, 2 at universities
Student at Acadia University and another at Dalhousie University have tested positive for COVID-19
Nova Scotia reported five new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, including a student at Acadia University in Wolfville and another at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
Both cases are related to travel outside Atlantic Canada.
The Acadia student, who lives on campus, has been self-isolating, according to a memo posted on the school's website late Sunday.
"The student has not experienced symptoms, and we are grateful to them for following health advice for testing and quarantine," the memo said.
The Dalhousie student lives off campus and is also self-isolating, as required.
"We thank the student for seeking testing and wish them a speedy recovery," Verity Turpin, acting vice-provost of student affairs, said in a memo emailed to staff and students on Monday.
There have now been five cases identified at Nova Scotia universities this month as students return from winter break.
On Friday, the province urged post-secondary students who returned to Nova Scotia from outside the Atlantic provinces to book a COVID-19 test on the sixth, seventh or eighth day of their isolation, whether they have symptoms or not.
Any students experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 must complete a self-assessment online or call 811. Students will still be required to finish their isolation period even with a negative result.
A second COVID-19 case was reported in the central region on Monday. It's also related to travel outside Atlantic Canada.
The two remaining cases are in the northern health zone. One case is related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada, and the other is a close contact of a previously reported case.
Vaccinations begin outside Halifax
A Cape Breton nurse received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, marking the first immunization outside the Halifax region.
The province also started vaccinating long-term care residents, starting at Northwood's Halifax and Bedford locations.
"Our vaccine rollout takes another important step today with the first clinic at a long-term care facility —Northwood's Halifax campus — and one at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital," Premier Stephen McNeil said in a news release.
"Our health-care professionals are working hard to distribute the vaccine as quickly as possible. We can support them by being patient and continuing to follow all the public health measures that help us contain the virus."
Vaccinations using the Pfizer vaccine will start to be administered in the province's western health zone on Tuesday at the Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville.
A government spokesperson told CBC News that phase 1 vaccinations in the western health zone will be limited to health-care workers and designated caregivers at long-term care homes.
On Sunday, the province reported no new cases of COVID-19, marking the first such day in two months.
Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, said it was "good news, but it is not an indication that COVID-19 is no longer a risk."
"It is up to all of us to follow the public health measures to make sure we limit the spread of the virus," he said in a news release.
As of Monday, there were 26 known active cases in the province. No one was in hospital with COVID-19.
Nova Scotia Health Authority's labs completed 2,193 tests on Sunday.
Atlantic Canada case numbers
The latest COVID-19 numbers from the Atlantic provinces are:
- New Brunswick reported 21 new cases on Monday with 204 active cases. Every zone of the province has been rolled back to orange-phase restrictions to deal with the growing number of cases.
- Newfoundland and Labrador reported no new cases on Monday. There are five active cases in the province, with one person in hospital.
- P.E.I. had one new case and eight active cases as of last Thursday.