Nova Scotia reports 5 new COVID-19 cases Saturday

Nova Scotia reported five new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday.

The province now has 20 active cases.

Three of the new cases are in the western health zone and are connected to a case reported previously. 

Two cases are in the central zone. One is related to travel outside the region and the other case is under investigation.

All of the new cases are self-isolating.

A case reported in the eastern zone Friday has been removed from the cumulative case count as it was previously diagnosed in another province. 

In a news release, Premier Iain Rankin said that the higher case count illustrates the need to follow public health guidelines and to get tested. 

Nova Scotia Health labs completed  2,004 COVID-19 tests on Friday.

Potential exposure notice 

Nova Scotia Health issued an exposure notice on Saturday for an Air Canada flight from Montreal to Halifax.

Anyone who was on the following flight in the specified rows and seats should book a COVID-19 test on the self-assessment website or contact 811, regardless of whether they have COVID-19 symptoms.

• Air Canada Flight 8782 departing from Montreal on March 6 (7:10 p.m.) and arriving in Halifax (9:30 p.m.), passengers in rows 16-20, seats C, D, and F. Anyone exposed may develop symptoms through March 20.

Vaccine eligibility expands Monday

As of this Monday, anyone who is 80 or older and was born between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31 can book an appointment online, or by calling 1-833-797-7772 to get a vaccine at a community clinic. Until Monday, only those aged 80 and older born between January and April are eligible.

Starting Tuesday, those who are 63 or 64 years old can get the  AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine at a pharmacy or doctor's office by booking online or by phone at 1-833-797-7772.

Bookings cannot be done in person and walk-ins will be turned away.

As of March 11, 46,891 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 15,655 second doses.

Some regional restrictions eased

Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador eased restrictions over the weekend,

Circuit-breaker measures were lifted on P.E.I. Saturday morning.

They were imposed in late February after a spike in COVID-19 cases among young people in Summerside and Charlottetown.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, the majority of the province moved to Alert Level 3 of the pandemic response plan on Saturday, while the Avalon Peninsula moved to Alert Level 4.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• New Brunswick reported no new cases on Saturday for a total of 33 known active cases. One person is in hospital related to COVID-19.
• Newfoundland and Labrador reported no new cases on Saturday. The province has 53 known active cases, and three people are in hospital.
• P.E.I. reported no new cases on Tuesday. There are 22 known active cases on the Island.