N.S. reports 5 COVID-19 deaths Monday, 92 people in designated hospital units

Nova Scotia is reporting five new COVID-19-related deaths on Monday. 

According to a news release, three of the deaths are in the central zone. They are a woman in her 60s, a man in his 70s and a man in his 90s. In the western zone, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s have died.

It is one of the highest number of deaths reported on a single day since the start of the pandemic. There were six deaths reported on April 25, 2020, and another six deaths reported on May 3, 2020.

There are 92 people in designated COVID-19 hospital units, including 14 in intensive care.

In total, there are 304 people in hospital with COVID-19:

• 92 hospitalized due to the virus.
• 93 identified as positive upon arrival, but were admitted for another medical reason, or were admitted for COVID-19 but no longer require specialized care.
• 119 who contracted COVID-19 while in hospital.

The average age of people in hospital is 67, the release said. Of the 92 people hospitalized for COVID-19, 89 were admitted during the Omicron wave.

Currently, unvaccinated Nova Scotians are about four times more likely to be hospitalized due to COVID-19 than someone with two doses of vaccine. That is based on average hospitalizations since the province started releasing the daily hospitalization numbers by vaccine status on Jan. 4.

The province is also reporting 362 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Of these, 165 are in the central health zone, 91 in the western zone, 45 in the eastern zone and 61 in the northern zone. 

These cases were identified from 2,835 tests that were completed by Nova Scotia Health Authority labs on Saturday.

Visitor restrictions

The health authority provided an update to visitor restrictions for health-care facilities in the eastern health zone on Monday.

Inpatients at Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital, which had not been able to receive visitors because of COVID-19 activity and staffing, will now be able to have one consistent fully vaccinated designated support person or family caregiver.

Patients and clients with COVID-19 will not be able to have visitors unless needed for the patient's care.

The release said children under 19 and critically ill patients admitted to the hospital will be allowed two support persons, with only one allowed to visit at a time. 

According to the release, exceptions may be made by the care team for patients in palliative care, patients receiving medical assistance in dying and others nearing end of life. 

People visiting the hospital as outpatients are being asked to come alone, the release said, except in circumstances where they need support to receive care.

It said exceptions will also be made for children and youth under 19. In those cases the support person must be fully vaccinated.

The release said restrictions remain in place for inpatients at New Waterford Consolidated Hospital and Northside General Hospital.

Inpatients at those two facilities will not be able to have visitors because of COVID-19 activity and staffing requirements. 

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• Prince Edward Island reported two new deaths and nine people in hospital on Sunday, with two in ICU. There were 157 new cases, with 2,422 active cases.
• New Brunswick reported three more deaths and 131 hospitalizations Monday, including 12 ICU cases. There are currently 469 health-care workers who have tested positive for the virus and are isolating.
• Newfoundland and Labrador reported one death on Monday. As well, 21 people are in hospital due to COVID-19 with five in ICU. There are 349 new cases and 2,669 active cases.