N.S. reports 9 COVID-19 deaths, 223 daily average of cases in weekly update

Nova Scotia is reporting nine COVID-19 deaths, 41 hospitalizations and a daily average of 223 lab-confirmed cases its weekly figures.

The figures are from a seven-day period that ended May 30.

The province said hospitalizations are nearly 11 times higher, and the risk of death is 115 times higher for people 70 and older compared to younger people.

All of the COVID-19 deaths reported this week were people at least 70 years old. Since March 2020, there have been 400 COVID-19 deaths in Nova Scotia.

The province is encouraging people to get vaccinated if they haven't already. Those who are 70 or older are encouraged to get a second booster dose.

The province said unvaccinated people are at the highest risk of severe illness.

Since the beginning of the Omicron wave in Nova Scotia on Dec. 8, 2021:

• The median age of PCR-confirmed cases of COVID-19 is 43.
• The median age of hospitalizations is 71.
• The median age of reported deaths is 81.

Nova Scotia Health is reporting 27 people in hospital, with seven in intensive care. It has 174 people in hospital for another condition, but who also have COVID-19. Finally, Nova Scotia Health said there are 73 people in hospital who contracted COVID-19 after being admitted. These numbers do not include the IWK Health Centre.

There are 150 Nova Scotia Health employees off work on Thursday, June 2, due to being diagnosed with COVID-19, awaiting results of a COVID-19 test or being exposed to a member of their household who tested positive for COVID-19. 

The following number of Nova Scotia Health employees are off work in each zone as of June 2:

• Western zone: 26.
• Central zone: 64.
• Northern zone: 24.
• Eastern zone: 36.