Halifax area to enter 4-week lockdown to contain surge in COVID-19 cases

Strict restrictions are returning to theHalifax Regional Municipality and some surrounding communitiesas the region grapples with high numbers of daily new cases of COVID-19.

The provincereported38 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, the highest daily case countin the provinceina year, and a number only surpassed during the worst early days of the pandemic.

In response, Premier Iain Rankin announced a four-week lockdown for the Halifax Regional Municipality and communities of Hubbards, Milford, Lantz, Elmsdale, Enfield, South Uniacke, Ecum Secum and Trafalgar.

Several schools in the Dartmouth area will be closed for two weeks and students will learn remotely.

"Our case numbers are rising too rapidly and there's now community spread within the Halifax municipality," Rankin said.

Effective 8 a.m. Friday, Nova Scotians are urged to avoid all non-essential travel into or out ofthe Halifax area.

Most schools in the Halifax area will remain open, but students in all grades starting with pre-primarywill be required to wear masks.

The Auburn Drive High family of schools, Cole Harbour District High family of schools, Dartmouth High family of schools ,cole secondaire Mosaque, cole du Carrefourand cole Bois-Joliwill close for two weeks effective Friday as studies shift to at-home learning.

Daycare facilities will also remain open in the Halifax area.

The indoor and outdoor gathering limit for the Halifax area has been reduced to five people, butan exception will be made for large families living in the same home.

Retail businesses and malls in the Halifax area will be limited tooperating at 25 per cent capacity and restaurants will be able to offer takeout only.

Rankin said help will be offered to affected businesses through the Nova Scotia Small Business Impact Grant.

"We need to cut off the virus before it becomes a bigger issue or spreads to other parts of the province," he said.

Speaking at the briefing, Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, said he was confident that Nova Scotiawas "doing the right things at the right time."

"I"ll be honest. This situation scares me, but I know we have the ability to regain control," he said.

Strang saidsocial events, festivalsand cultural events will also not be allowed in the Halifax area for four weeks,but weddingand funeral ceremonies will be allowed to have five people attending in addition to the officiants.

As was the case in the last lockdown, indoor fitness and recreational activities will not be allowed in the affected area.

Strang said outdoor activities are not restricted as long as people observe gathering limits and distancing requirements.

While general outdoor activities are allowed and encouraged,restrictions extend to organized sports, practice and training.

Strang said golf courses and outdoor tennis courts will be allowed to operate in the affected area, but any associated restaurants or licensed establishments must close.

As of Friday, masks will be mandatory in all common areas and places where there is interaction with other members of the public, includingprivate indoor workplaces.

New Cases

Thirty-three of the new cases reported Thursday are in central health zone, with two related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada and two related to travel outside of Canada. Nineteen of the central zone cases are close contacts of previously reported cases and 10 are under investigation.

Two of those untraced are connected to schools Bell Park Academic Centre in Lake Echo and Shannon Park Elementary in Dartmouth.

Three of the new cases are in the eastern zone and are related to travel outside Atlantic Canada. One case is in the northern zone and is connected to travel outside Atlantic Canada, and one in the western zone and is connected to travel outside Canada.

The province says the individuals are self-isolating.The new cases bring thetotal active case count up to 111.

Thursday's case count is the worst since April 23, 2020, when the province reported 55 new cases.On Nov. 24, new cases reached 37, prompting increased health restrictions. Daily case numbers began tosubsequently decline.

Spike in new cases

Nova Scotia saw a spike in new cases on Wednesday, reporting 25 new cases. There have also been a handful of cases in recent days connected to schools in the Halifax Regional Municipality. School-related cases in the province are tracked on an Education Department website.

Late Thursday, COVID-19 cases were announced at five schools.

Dartmouth South Academy and Ross Road School haveone case each. Bothwere included in alist of schools released earlier in the day that are closed to in-person learning for a two-week period.

One case is connected to St. Catherine's Elementary in Halifax. The school will be closed for a deep cleaning until April 28.

Holland Road Elementary hasone case and will also remain closed until April28. Students will switch to at-home learning until it reopens.

A casehas also been identified at St. Joseph's-Alexander McKay Elementary, which is already closed because of a previous case and is expected to reopen on April26.

The five new caseswere reported after the cut-off for daily reporting and were not included in Nova Scotia's COVID-19 figures for Thursday. They will be included in Friday's COVID-19 reporting.

Public Health will get in touch with anyone who was in close contact with the affected individual, and they will be asked to get tested and to self-isolate for 14 days. However, Public Health recommends that all students and staff at the schoolget tested.

New exposure sites

Late Thursday evening, the health authority issued several potential COVID-19 exposure notices for three Air Canada flights and locations in the central, western and northern health zones.

Pop-up testing centres

Nova Scotia Health has announced a number of pop-up rapid testing locations.

On Thursday, testing is available at the Halifax Convention Centreat 1650 Argyle St.from noon to 7 p.m.

Testing willalso be available at the Sackville Sports Stadium at 409 Glendale Dr., Lower Sackville, onFriday from noon to 7 p.m.

The Dartmouth North Community Centre at105Highfield Park Dr.will have rapid testing available on Saturday from 9:30 to 4:30 p.m.

On Sunday, testing will beavailable at the East Dartmouth Community Centre at 50 Caledonia Rd. inDartmouth from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• New Brunswickreported19new cases on Thursday . There are 146known active cases. Fifteenpeople are in hospital, including five in intensive care.
• P.E.I.announced onenew caseon Thursdayfor a total of 12active cases. One person is in hospital.
• Newfoundland and Labradorreported threenew cases Thursday for a total of 26active cases.