N.S. reports 31 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday

Nova Scotia reported 31 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, bringing the active caseload to 253.

Nineteen of the new cases are in the central zone, nine are in the northern zone, two are in the eastern zone and one is in the western zone.

Sixteen people are now in hospital with COVID-19, including seven in intensive care.

The province said in a news release there is community spread in the northern and western zones related to a religious gathering in late October. The spread includes cases identified at other faith-based gatherings, workplaces and a long-term care home in Pugwash, N.S.

One more resident and two more staff members at that long-term care home, East Cumberland Lodge, have tested positive for the virus. So far, 29 residents and 10 staff have contracted COVID-19. Two residents have died.

As of Tuesday, 79.6 per cent of Nova Scotians had received two doses of vaccines.

Five more schools were notified of an exposure on Monday, including Cumberland North Academy, Hants East Rural High, Dutch Settlement Elementary, Grosvenor-Wentworth Park Elementary and Kingswood Elementary. The province maintains a list of schools with exposures here.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• New Brunswick reported 34 new cases Tuesday. The province has 516 active cases, with 22 people in hospital, including 14 in intensive care.
• Newfoundland and Labrador reported one death and two new cases on Monday. It has 31 active cases.
• Prince Edward Island reported no new cases on Tuesday. The province has eight active cases.