N.S. reports 7 COVID-19 deaths, daily average of 203 positive PCR tests in weekly update

Nova Scotia is reporting seven COVID-19 deaths in the past week, and a daily average of 203 lab-confirmed cases in its latest update.

The figures are from a seven-day period that ended June 20. The province said hospitalizations are up, but deaths andthe number of positive PCR tests (a total of 1,420 over seven days) are down slightlyfrom last week. That number does not include positive rapid test results.

"It is encouraging to see that we have another week with decreasing COVID-19 activity," Nova Scotia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Shelley Deekssaid in the news release.

"We have learned a lot about this virus over the last two years. As the weather gets better, I encourage people to have gatherings outdoors where possible, continue to wash your hands, use cough and sneeze etiquette and, most importantly, if you're sick, stay home."

All of the COVID-19 deaths reported this week were people 70 years of age or older. Since March 2020, there have been 438 COVID-19 deaths in Nova Scotia.

About three-quarters of those deaths happened during the Omicron wave which began on Dec. 8, 2021:

• 272 of the deathswere people aged 70+
• 45 of those deaths were people aged 50-69
• Nine of those deaths were people under 50

Nova Scotia Health says 22 people are in hospital due to COVID-19, with five in intensive care.

It saidanother 115 people have COVID-19 but are in hospital for another reason. A further73 people contracted COVID-19 after being admitted to hospital. The IWK Health Centre in Halifax reports there are currently fewer than five patients admitted due to COVID-19.

This is the second week that the province has included lab-confirmed cases of people who have been re-infected with COVID-19. Last week,Deekssaid there have been 215 people who have tested positive via PCR test 90 days or more after a previous positive result.