N.S. reports 3 COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, province shifting to weekly reports
There are 46 people in designated COVID-19 hospital units, with 12 people in ICU
Nova Scotia reported three deaths related to COVID-19 on Thursday as the province prepares to shift from daily to weekly reporting of pandemic-related numbers.
The deaths include two men in their 70s in the eastern zone and a man in his 80s in the central zone. There were 46 people in designated COVID-19 hospital units, including 12 in ICU.
The province is on track to lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions by March 21, just a day shy of the two-year anniversary of Nova Scotia declaring a state of emergency to contain the pandemic.
Premier Tim Houston said Nova Scotians should continue to stay vigilant as the province reopens.
"As we lift restrictions and continue to reopen, we must not forget that this virus is still circulating in our communities," Houston said in a news release.
"That is why it is so important Nova Scotians follow both the letter and the spirit of the public health measures to protect ourselves and others from this virus."
The province said it would issue its next update on COVID-19 and update its dashboard on March 10.
Patients aged 5 to 92
The age range of those in hospital Thursday was five to 92, with a median age of 62.
Of those in hospital:
- 14 (30.4 per cent) people have had a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
- 21 (45.7 per cent) were fully vaccinated (two doses).
- 1 (2.2 per cent) was partially vaccinated.
- 10 (21.7 per cent) were unvaccinated.
As of March 2, about 7.9 per cent of Nova Scotia's population remained unvaccinated. The province said 92.1 per cent of Nova Scotians had received at least their first dose, and 86.8 per cent had received their second dose.
COVID-19 hospitalizations and death rates
Unvaccinated Nova Scotians were about 5½ times more likely to be hospitalized due to COVID-19 than someone with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. That was based on average hospitalizations since the province started releasing daily hospitalization numbers by vaccine status on Jan. 4.
Unvaccinated people were about 4½ times as likely to die of COVID-19 during the Omicron wave as someone who received a booster dose, based on numbers provided by the province and last updated on Feb. 25.
Rapid tests in Windsor
Nova Scotia Health said people in the Windsor area who qualify for rapid testing would be able to pick up test kits from the Hants Community Hospital once they complete an online assessment and book an appointment.
Test kits would be available for those who are eligible at the main entrance of the hospital Monday to Friday from 2 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. local time, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
New cases reported
Nova Scotia Health completed 2,007 tests on March 2.
An additional 421 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported Thursday, with 143 cases in the central zone, 88 cases in the eastern zone, 105 cases in the northern zone and 85 cases in the western zone.
There were an estimated 2,514 active cases of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia.
The province noted there would be an increase in new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported because people with positive rapid tests are to get a confirmatory PCR test.