Nova Scotia reports 4 new COVID-19 cases, including 1 at Eastern Passage school

A school-related case of COVID-19 was identified at Tallahassee Community School, a pre-primary to Grade 3 school, according to a news release Thursday from Nova Scotia's Department of Health and Wellness.

There are now 64 known active cases in the province

Cassidy Chisholm · CBC News · Posted: Dec 10, 2020 1:44 PM EST | Last Updated: December 10, 2020

There are now 64 known active COVID cases in Nova Scotia as of Dec. 10 — down from 71 yesterday. No one is in hospital with the virus. (Robert Short/CBC)

Nova Scotia is reporting four new cases of COVID-19 Thursday, including one at a school in Eastern Passage.

The case was identified at Tallahassee Community School, which has children in pre-primary to Grade 3, according to a news release from the Department of Health and Wellness.

The infected individual was not at school Thursday and is self-isolating.

The school will close for deep cleaning, testing and contact tracing until at least Dec. 16. Students will learn from home in the meantime.

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The school is expected to provide an update to families on Dec. 15.

Public Health will notify people if they are deemed a close contact. Everyone who is a close contact will tested and asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

3 other cases

Two other cases were discovered in the central zone. One is a contact of a previously reported case and the other is under investigation.

The final new case was identified in the eastern zone and is related to travel outside Atlantic Canada. The person has been isolating.

"Seeing lower case numbers is good news, but it does not mean we can let our guard down," Premier Stephen McNeil said in a news release Thursday.

"We know how fast this virus can move. We have worked so hard to contain it — let's not falter as we get closer to the vaccine being available. We need to continue to be kind to one another, support one another and recognize that when we follow public health protocols, we are actually protecting each other."

Premier Stephen McNeil reminded Nova Scotians not to let their guard down even as a vaccine becomes available. (Communications Nova Scotia)

On Wednesday, Health Canada approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Nova Scotia is expecting one batch of 1,950 doses of the vaccine this month, with regular weekly allotments starting in January.

There are now 64 known active COVID cases in the province — down from 71 Wednesday. No one is in hospital with the virus.

The four new cases were discovered among 1,788 tests completed at the Nova Scotia Health Authority labs on Wednesday.

"Today marks the sixth consecutive day where our case numbers are below 10," Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, said in the release. "Just because our case numbers are low does not mean we can become complacent. I am urging Nova Scotians to continue to follow all the public health measures."

Pop-up rapid testing available

The release also said the province will start reporting results from rapid-testing pop-up sites weekly, starting Friday.

Rapid testing for COVID-19 is happening Thursday in Bedford at the Lebrun Centre and in Truro at the Colchester Legion Stadium.

<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> rapid testing pop-up sites today in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bedford?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bedford</a> at the Lebrun Centre and in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Truro?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Truro</a> at the Legion both from 1:30 to 8 pm<br><br>Tomorrow, Dec 11 in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Truro?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Truro</a> at the Legion from 1:30 to 8 pm. For testing criteria and more information, visit: <a href="https://t.co/F36XrurmnN">https://t.co/F36XrurmnN</a> <a href="https://t.co/54fBnorbyE">pic.twitter.com/54fBnorbyE</a>
—@HealthNS

Testing will be available at those locations from 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Another round of rapid testing will be available at the Truro legion again Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Cases in the Atlantic provinces

Newfoundland and Labrador announced on Monday that it would not rejoin the Atlantic bubble for at least a month. That means anyone arriving from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island will have to continue to self-isolate for 14 days.

P.E.I. announced on Thursday that its travel restrictions within the region would stay in place until at least Dec. 21.

New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health also commented on the fate of the Atlantic bubble Wednesday, saying the arrangement likely won't be reinstated anytime soon.

The latest numbers from the Atlantic provinces are:

Newfoundland and Labrador reported one new case Thursday and has 20 active cases.
New Brunswick reported four new cases Thursday and has 75 active cases. Four people are hospitalized with three in intensive care.
P.E.I. reported no new cases Wednesday and had 14 active cases. The province introduced sweeping restrictions Monday, with all gyms, libraries, bingo halls and casinos closed for at least two weeks and restaurants closed to indoor dining.