Nova Scotia reports 58 in hospital with COVID-19, 10 in intensive care

Nova Scotia reported 58 people in hospital with COVID-19 in an update Saturday. There are 10 patients in intensive care.

The abbreviated release did not include information about the number of people admitted and discharged.

The release said there are 627 new confirmed cases.

Of these, 339 are in the central health zone, 113 in the eastern zone, 93 in the western zone and 82 in the northern zone.

The average age of people in hospital is 66, the release said. Of the 58 people in hospital, 55 have been admitted during the Omicron wave.

Nova Scotia Health labs completed 4,124 tests on Friday.

Less than than 10 per cent of Nova Scotians are unvaccinated, according to provincial statistics.

As of Friday's update, unvaccinated Nova Scotianswere about four 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 hospitalizations by vaccine status on Jan. 4.

Test result changes

On Saturday, Nova Scotia Health announced changes in its followup procedure for people who test positive for COVID-19.

In a news release, the authority said the high number of cases caused by Omicron is causing it to focus onlong-term care, group homes, assisted living facilities and shelters.

Public Health will not be following up with some people who tested positive for the virus, the release states.

Anyone who tested positive between Jan. 5 and Jan. 8, the release said, will not receive any followup after initial notification.

It said people in that group with worsening symptoms should seek medical help by calling 811 or 911.

The authority said most people will receive their test results through an automated email.

People who test positive, it said, can expect an email, text or call from Public Health.

Nova Scotia Health also announced Nova Scotians who are booking a PCR test now have to complete an online COVID-19 report and screening form.

According to a news release, the form will be used to collect information to identify people who are eligible for medications and treatments to reduce the risk of severe disease and hospitalization.

Information from the form for people who end up testing positive for COVID-19 will be shared with Public Health, theInfectious Diseases COVID-19 care teamand the COVID-19 community virtual care team, the release said.

The release said information gathered from people who test negative will be deleted.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• Newfoundland and Labradorreported one death and nine people in hospital Saturday. There were also 314 new cases. The province has5,171 active cases.
• Prince Edward Islandreported309 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday. There were 2,081 active cases as of Saturday. Five people are in hospital with COVID-19 and two people hospitalizedfor other reasons have tested positive for COVID-19.
• New Brunswickreported one new deathand113 hospitalizations on Saturday.

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