Coronavirus: 30 new cases identified in Nova Scotia, bringing total to 579

Nova Scotia has seen a decrease in active COVID-19 cases despite 30 new ones being identified by the province on Thursday.

Of the new cases, 27 were identified in the central zone, while two were identified in the western zone and one in the eastern zone.

There are now a total of 579 cases in Nova Scotia. Of those cases, 403 are active. There were 412 active cases on Wednesday.

The total breakdown of where cases have been identified in Nova Scotia is as follows:

  • Central: 453
  • Western: 48
  • Eastern: 43
  • Northern: 35

The province confirmed Thursday that there are seven licensed long-term care homes in Nova Scotia with cases of COVID-19, involving 42 residents and 23 staff.

The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 1,065 Nova Scotia tests on Wednesday. To date, Nova Scotia has 18,453 negative test results.

[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]

There are now 11 patients in hospital, with four in an intensive care unit. There were nine in hospital on Wednesday.

Forty-six per cent of cases involve male patients and 55 per cent involve female patients.

Anyone who has travelled outside Nova Scotia must self-isolate for 14 days. As always, any Nova Scotian who develops symptoms of acute respiratory illness should limit their contact with others until they feel better.

“It is now more important than ever for Nova Scotians to strictly adhere to the public health orders and directives,” the province said in a release. “Practise good hygiene, maintain a physical distance of two metres or six feet from others, limit essential gatherings to no more than five people and stay at home as much as possible.”

Travel has been removed as a screening requirement to get a COVID-19 test. Now, if you have two or more of the following symptoms, you’re able to get a COVID-19 test.

  • fever
  • new or worsening cough
  • runny nose
  • headache
  • sore throat

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

Source: Read Full Article