Nova Scotia reports 90 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday

Nova Scotia reported 90 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and 180 recoveries.

The recoveries bring theknown active caseload to 1,345.

There are now 103 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 25 in intensive care.

Of the new cases,64are in the central zone, 17 are in the eastern zone, seven are in the northern zone and two are in the western zone.

There is community spread of COVID-19 in the central zone, which includes Halifax, and the other zones are being monitored for community spread. Public Health says there are some areas of concern, including Sydney, Bridgewater, New Minas and Kentville, and testing has been increased in those areas.

New public health protocol

Public health staff in Nova Scotia will no longer call close contacts of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to inform them that their 14-day self-isolation period has ended.

The provincial health authoritymade the announcement on Tuesday morning, saying the change will free up staff to investigate new cases.

Typically, when someone with alengthy exposure to a person with COVID-19 without physical distancing or masking is finished their 14-day isolation and has gotten all the required testing, public health staff call to confirm that they can stop isolating if they have no symptoms.

But due to the recent spike in cases, there are several thousand such people who have finished isolating and are waiting for that confirmation call from Public Health.

Effective immediately, people in that situation can consider their isolation period complete if they meet all of the following criteria:

• They have finished 14 days of self-isolation (isolation ends at 11:59 p.m. on the date provided by Public Health).
• They have completed all required testing.
• They have not been re-exposed to COVID-19.
• They have no COVID-19 symptoms.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• New Brunswickreported 10new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, and reported its 42nd death.The province now has 121active cases.
• Newfoundland and Labradorreported six new cases Tuesday for a total of 83 active cases.
• P.E.I.reported two new caseson Tuesday. The province has 10 active cases.