Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia reports 26 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday

Nova Scotia reported 26 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, bringing the active number of cases to 146.

Province extends vaccine-related isolation rules to domestic travellers aged 12-18

A health-care worker prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Toronto on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. Twenty-two of the 26 new COVID-19 cases announced Wednesday in Nova Scotia are in the central zone. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)

Nova Scotia reported 26 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, bringing the active number of cases to 146.

Twenty-two of the new cases are in the central zone, with the remaining four in the northern zone.

Ten people are in hospital because of COVID-19, including one person who is in intensive care.

Nova Scotia's health authority completed 3,075 tests Tuesday.

Changes to isolation rules for travellers 12-18

The province also announced changes Wednesday to self-isolation rules for domestic travellers arriving in Nova Scotia who are 12-18.

Beginning Nov. 1, they will now have to follow self-isolation requirements based on their vaccination status, similar to the current measures in place for adults.

Previously, the requirement was that young people in this age category had to follow the rules of the least-vaccinated adult they were travelling with. That policy took effect in June.

"Since then, there has been ample opportunity for children 12 and over to get vaccinated," Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang said in a news release Wednesday. "It's time to treat them the same as adults in our border policy."

This means that a Nova Scotia Safe Check-in form must be completed for young people 12 and over. Adults can fill out the form on their children's behalf.

People who aren't fully vaccinated must isolate for seven days and get two negative test results in Nova Scotia before they can stop isolating. The tests must be lab-based, not rapid ones.

For children 11 and under travelling with their parents, their isolation requirements will still depend on the status of the least-vaccinated adult they are travelling with. They can be included on the safe check-in form for that adult.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

  • New Brunswick reported 57 new cases and a death on Wednesday. The province has 533 active cases and 33 people hospitalized, including 15 in intensive care.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador reported 20 new cases Wednesday and a death. The province has 101 active cases.
  • Prince Edward Island reported two new cases Wednesday, marking the only active cases on the Island. 

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