8 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Nova Scotia on Thursday

Eight new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Nova Scotia on Thursday the largest single-day jump since Jan. 13 bringing the total number of active cases in the provinceto 27.

In a news release, the provincialHealth Department said seven cases are in the central zone. Four are close contacts of previously reported cases andthree are under investigation.

One case is in the eastern zone and is related to travel outside Atlantic Canada.

Nova Scotia Health's labs completed2,969 tests Wednesday the most donein a day since early December.

"You can see from today's numbers that the cases are ticking up. And so, let me remind all Nova Scotians of the importance of testing," said Premier Iain Rankin in a news release, encouraging everyone to get tested regardless of whether they have symptoms.

One person is currently hospitalizedin intensive care related to COVID-19.

The province is increasing its testing capacity, as there have been several cases in the past few weeks in which Public Health has not been able to finda source of infection, a trend Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang called "increasingly concerning."

Late Thursday evening, Nova Scotia Health issued five potential exposure warnings in the Halifax area, including two large retail stores and three restaurants. The full list of exposures can be found here.

Case confirmed at HalifaxShipyard

Late Thursday afternoon, Irvingissued a news release saying one positive case of COVID-19 hasbeen confirmed at the Halifax Shipyard.

The employee, who works in theshipyard's assembly and module halls, has been self-isolating at home. It is the first case to be confirmed at Irving Shipbuilding, saidcommunications director Tom Ormsbyin the release.

It's unclear whether the case is included in Thursday's reported COVID-19 data from the province.

Irving said it became aware of the positive case late Thursday morning after Nova Scotia Health reached out directly to the person's crew and directed all 15 members to go home, self-isolateand book a COVID-19 test.

Out of "an abundance of caution" and after speaking with the Nova Scotia's health authority, Irvingtemporarily suspended all production operations at the Halifax Shipyard onFriday, according to a release from Ormsby.

Hourly employees should notreport to work, and staff employees at the Shipyard are workingfrom home for the day.

Ormsbysaid the company is working with Nova Scotia Health to set up a pop-up testing site directly next to the shipyard for employees who want a rapid COVID-19 test.

Day shift employees who work at the assembly and module halls were sent home Thursday as a precaution.

Due to their location inDartmouth, the release said staff at the Bluenose Building are to report for work as normal Friday, as are all staff at Marine Fabricators and Woodside Industries.

Vaccine numbers

The province said 30,748 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine hadbeen administered in the province as of Wednesday. Of those, 11,766 Nova Scotians hadreceived their second dose.

On Wednesday, the first Mi'kmaw vaccine clinic in Nova Scotia openedinMillbrook First Nation. The clinicwill serve as a prototypefor a dozen other Mi'kmaw communities in the province.

By end of day Thursday, the clinic is expected to have vaccinated about 200 community members over the age of 55.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• New Brunswickreported onenew case Thursday, for a total of 49known active cases. The province had two people in hospital related to COVID-19, one in intensive care.
• Newfoundland and Labradorreported 10 new cases on Thursday. The province also reported 20 new recoveries, leavingthe number of known active cases at335.
• P.E.I.reported a "cluster" ofthreenew cases on Thursday, allunder investigation by public health,making for sixknown active cases on the Island.