34 people in N.S. hospitals with COVID-19, 618 new cases

·2 min read
Nova Scotia reported 618 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press - image credit)
Nova Scotia reported 618 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press - image credit)

The number of people in Nova Scotia hospitals with COVID-19 has jumped to 34, including four people in intensive care.

That's a jump from the 25 people who were in hospital on Thursday, which included three in ICU.

Nova Scotia reported 618 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, and estimates there are 5,117 active cases of COVID-19.

Of the new cases, 429 are in the central zone, 77 are in the western zone, 64 are in the eastern zone and 48 are in the northern zone.

Hospital outbreaks and visitor restrictions

Several hospitals have reported outbreaks, including the Halifax Infirmary, Dartmouth General, the Victoria General site of the QEII Health Sciences Centre, St. Martha's Regional and New Waterford Consolidated. The outbreaks are affecting fewer than 10 patients at each facility, according to a news release from the province.

The health authority announced Friday it is implementing new restrictions on visitors at one hospital, the Colchester East Hants Health Centre, because of increased COVID-19 activity.

Starting immediately, in-patients cannot have visitors, except one support person per day for the following circumstances:

  • Palliative care and other patients nearing end of life.

  • Patients receiving medical assistance in dying.

  • Children under 18 seeking treatment and/or admitted to hospital.

  • Labour and birth.

  • Outpatients, including patients arriving at the hospital for emergency and ambulatory care clinics, appointments or procedures who need support to receive care due to physical, intellectual, cognitive and emotional conditions.

  • Patients requiring support for critical treatment decisions such as organ transplantation, initiation of hemodialysis, and at the discretion of the clinical team.

The province will not be releasing COVID-19 statistics on Jan. 1, and will issue abbreviated information on Jan. 2 and 3.

Nova Scotia: Daily new COVID-19 cases

Atlantic Canada case numbers

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