Nova Scotia reports 121 new COVID-19 cases Monday

Nova Scotia is reporting 121 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, for a total of 1,655 known active cases.

There are 94 new cases in the central health zone,16 in the eastern zone, six in the western zone and five in the northern zone, according to a news release from the provincial health department.

Nova Scotia Health labs completed 5,021 COVID-19 tests on Sunday,representing a positivity rate of 2.5per cent, according toprovincial calculations.

There are 58 people in hospital with the virus, including nine in intensive care.

The province continues to work through a backlog in data entry, which has led tohigh daily case numbers in recent days.

Dr. Robert Strang, the province's chief medical officer of health,said most of the backlog was cleared over the weekend, and he expects the systemwill be back to regular capacity bymid-week.

"We are certainly seeing new cases coming in, but that number of new cases, that trend over the last week is coming down on a slow, but regularbasis," Strang said at a briefing Monday.

"We are headed in the right direction, but I'm fully aware you don't just turn this around overnight, so we have a number of weeks the month of May that we all have to stay committed ...before we can bring those case numbers down."

Compassionate exemption for people moving

Nova Scotia has introduced a compassionate exemption application process forpeople who had plansto moveto the province this month, after many people expressed frustrations about border restrictions that were suddenly imposed.The provinceannounced Fridayit woulddenyentry toanyone moving to Nova Scotia as of Monday.

"Obviously, there are exceptional circumstances you sold your house in another province and took ownership on a house here in Nova Scotia all before the border closed or you've signed a lease," Premier Iain Rankin said at Monday's briefing.

"We recognize there needs to be some flexibility on previously agreed upon dates, and we don't want you to be homeless,quite frankly."

The application for people moving to the province will be available onthe Nova Scotia government'swebsite.

Rankin also announced the government will spend $1.3 million onimproving food security in Nova Scotia during the third wave of the pandemic.

The funding will be provided toFeed Nova Scotia, smaller food banks and charitable organizations, and family resource centres across the province.

Vaccine rollout continues

Strang said there continues to be a high uptake in COVID-19 vaccines as more age cohorts become eligible. As of Friday, people over the age of 40are eligible to be vaccinated in Nova Scotia.

So far,the province has administered366,089 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.Of those, 37,699 Nova Scotians have received their second dose.

On Monday, Nova Scotia's first drive-thru vaccination clinic opened at theDartmouthGeneral Hospitalfor people 50 and older, by appointment.

Nova Scotia's 1st drive-thru COVID-19 vaccine clinic opens

3 years ago

Duration 4:42

A drive-thru vaccination clinic built from modified shipping containers opened in Halifax Monday morning for those 50 and older who have booked appointments.

Pop-up rapid testing

Over the weekend, the health authority said it had identifiedlow-risk potential exposures and positive cases inand around the South Shore and Annapolis Valley, therefore asymptomatic testing sites are being held Monday in the affected areas.Testing is available at:

• Gateway Plaza at 200-215 Dominion St., Bridgewater, from9a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Lunenburg Municipal Building at 210 Aberdeen Rd., Bridgewater, from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Liverpoolat 157 School St.from8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Acadia University Clubat 17 Westwood Ave., Wolfville, from8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Berwick Fire Hall at 300 Commercial St., Berwick, from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Rapid testing continues to be offered in the Halifax area, which has been the epicentre of the third wave, and in Sydney, where there were some high-risk exposures in recent weeks.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• New Brunswickreported 11 new caseson Monday. There are now 149active cases.
• Newfoundland and Labradorreported three new COVID-19 cases for a total of 67 active cases Monday.
• P.E.I.announced one new caseMonday and now hasnineactive cases.