Nova Scotia reports 4 new COVID-19 cases, including 1 at Eastern Passage school

Nova Scotia is reporting four new cases of COVID-19 Thursday, including one at a school in Eastern Passage.

Thecase was identified at Tallahassee Community School, which has children inpre-primary to Grade 3, according to a news release from the Department of Health and Wellness.

The infected individual was not at school Thursday and is self-isolating.

The school will closefor deep cleaning, testing and contact tracing until at least Dec. 16.Students will learn from home in the meantime.

The school is expected to provide an update to families onDec. 15.

Public Health will notify people if they are deemed a close contact.Everyone who is a close contact willtested and asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

3 other cases

Two other cases were discovered in the central zone. One is a contact of a previously reported case and the other is under investigation.

The final new case was identified in the eastern zone and is related to travel outside Atlantic Canada. The person has been isolating.

"Seeing lower case numbers is good news, but it does not mean we can let our guard down," Premier Stephen McNeilsaid in a news release Thursday.

"We know how fast this virus can move. We have worked so hard to contain it let's not falter as we get closer to the vaccine being available. We need to continue to be kind to one another, support one another and recognize that when we follow public health protocols, we are actually protecting each other."

On Wednesday, Health Canada approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Nova Scotiais expecting one batch of 1,950 doses of thevaccine this month, with regular weekly allotments starting in January.

There are now64 known active COVID cases in the province down from 71 Wednesday. No one is in hospital with the virus.

The four new cases were discovered among 1,788 tests completed at the Nova Scotia Health Authoritylabs on Wednesday.

"Today marks the sixth consecutive day where our case numbers are below 10," Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, said in the release."Just because our case numbers are low does not mean we can become complacent. I am urging Nova Scotians to continue to follow all the public health measures."

Pop-up rapid testing available

The release also said the province will start reporting results from rapid-testing pop-up sites weekly, starting Friday.

Rapid testing for COVID-19 is happeningThursday in Bedford at the Lebrun Centre andin Truroat the Colchester Legion Stadium.

Testing will be available at those locations from 1:30 p.m. to 8p.m.

Another round of rapid testing will be available at the Trurolegion again Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Cases in the Atlantic provinces

Newfoundland and Labrador announced on Monday that itwould not rejoin the Atlantic bubble for at least a month.That means anyone arriving from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island will have to continue to self-isolate for 14 days.

P.E.I. announced on Thursday that its travel restrictions within the region would stay in place until at least Dec. 21.

New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health also commented on the fate of the Atlantic bubble Wednesday, saying thearrangement likely won't be reinstated anytime soon.

The latest numbers from the Atlantic provinces are:

• Newfoundland and Labradorreported one new case Thursday and has20 active cases.
• New Brunswickreported four new cases Thursday and has 75active cases. Four people arehospitalized with three in intensive care.
• P.E.I.reported no new cases Wednesday and had14active cases. The province introduced sweeping restrictions Monday, with all gyms, libraries, bingo halls and casinos closed for at least two weeks and restaurants closed to indoor dining.

Symptoms

Anyone with one of the following symptoms should visit the COVID-19 self-assessmentwebsiteor call 811:

• Fever.
• Cough or worsening of a previous cough.

Anyone with two or more of the following symptoms is also asked to visit the website or call 811:

• Sore throat.
• Headache.
• Shortness of breath.
• Runny nose.