Nova Scotia reports 87 in designated COVID-19 hospital units Saturday

Nova Scotia reported 87 people in designated COVID-19 units on Saturday.

A news release from the province said 16  people are in intensive care with the virus.

In total, there are 331 people in hospital with COVID-19:

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

The number of hospital admissions and discharges was not provided on Saturday. 

The average age of people in hospital is 67, the news release said. 

Of the 87 people hospitalized because of the virus, 83 were admitted during the Omicron wave. 

About nine per cent of Nova Scotians are not vaccinated for COVID-19.

Currently, unvaccinated Nova Scotians are about 3.5 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.

About seven per cent of Nova Scotians, or roughly 72,000 people, are eligible to get the vaccine but haven't. Nova Scotia Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang said this group is being "disproportionately impacted by Omicron," representing 30 per cent of COVID-19 deaths since Dec. 8, and 21 per cent of hospitalizations.  

There have been 32 COVID-19 related deaths this month.

Nova Scotia Health labs completed 3,670 tests on Friday detecting 503 new cases of COVID-19.

There were 234 cases in the central zone, 67 in the eastern zone, 78 in the northern zone and 124 in the western zone. 

Border protest

A group of about 20 vehicles were at the border in Aulac, N.B., on Saturday afternoon to protest public health restrictions Saturday afternoon despite bad weather.

They were also there in support of a truck convoy that arrived in Ottawa. The convoy and its supporters are protesting COVID-19 measures that including mandatory vaccination for truckers.

Jocelyn Poirier, who is not a truck driver, was part of the group. Poirier said those gathered planned to camp out and have a cookout later.

He said Nova Scotia's announcement on Friday of a ban on blockades and roadside protests along the Trans-Canada Highway means they will restrict any activities to the New Brunswick side.

"We're not going to touch the Nova Scotia side there now because of some sanctions last night, last minute there," he said.  "So we just don't want to cause any trouble."

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• Prince Edward Island reported one death and 19 people in hospital on Saturday, with three in ICU. There were 271 new cases reported Saturday for a total of 2,430 active cases. P.E.I. now has 10 deaths due to COVID-19. 
• New Brunswick reported 159 hospitalizations Saturday, including 14 in ICU and five people on a ventilator. The province has 397 new cases.
• Newfoundland and Labrador reported 18 people in hospital due to COVID-19 on Saturday. There were 208 new cases and 2,232 active cases.