**** HEALTH/WELLNESS Media Release
Two New Cases of COVID-19; Symptoms for Testing Expand
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Premier Stephen McNeil and Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, will provide an update today, May 22, at 3 p.m.
Media can participate via teleconference. To get the teleconference details, please register by contacting Blaise Theriault at Blaise.Theriault@novascotia.ca .
This update will be livestreamed on http://novascotia.ca/stayinformed/webcast .
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As of today, May 22, Nova Scotia has 1,048 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Two new cases were identified Thursday, May 21.
The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 427 Nova Scotia tests on May 21 and is operating 24-hours.
There are two licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors’ facilities in Nova Scotia with active cases of COVID-19. Northwood in Halifax currently has 16 residents and four staff with active cases. One other facility has one resident with an active case.
Beginning today, the list of symptoms being screened for COVID-19 is expanding.
“This expanded symptom list is being adopted by all provinces and territories and is based on our growing knowledge of how COVID-19 can present,” said Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health. “As we move out of the first pandemic wave, it remains important to test anyone who has symptoms that could be due to COVID-19.”
If you have any one of the following symptoms, visit http://811.novascotia.ca to determine if you should call 811 for further assessment:
— fever (i.e. chills, sweats)
— cough or worsening of a previous cough
— sore throat
— headache
— shortness of breath
— muscle aches
— sneezing
— nasal congestion/runny nose
— hoarse voice
— diarrhea
— unusual fatigue
— loss of sense of smell or taste
— red, purple or blueish lesions on the feet, toes or fingers without clear cause
To date, Nova Scotia has 37,405 negative test results, 1,048 positive COVID-19 test results and 58 deaths. Confirmed cases range in age from under 10 to over 90. Eight individuals are currently in hospital, four of those in ICU. Nine-hundred and sixty-one individuals have now recovered and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved. Cases have been identified in all parts of the province. A map and graphic presentation of the case data is available at http://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/data .
Public health is working to identify and test people who may have come in close contact with the confirmed cases. Those individuals who have been confirmed are being directed to self-isolate at home, away from the public, for 14 days.
Anyone who has travelled outside Nova Scotia must self-isolate for 14 days. As always, any Nova Scotian who develops symptoms of acute respiratory illness should limit their contact with others until they feel better.
It remains important for Nova Scotians to strictly adhere to the public health order and directives – practise good hand washing and other hygiene steps, maintain a physical distance of two metres or six feet from those not in your household or family household bubble and limit planned social gatherings of people outside your household or family household bubble to no more than five.
Nova Scotians can find accurate, up-to-date information, handwashing posters and fact sheets at http://novascotia.ca/coronavirus .
Quick Facts:
— testing numbers are updated daily at http://novascotia.ca/coronavirus
— a state of emergency was declared under the Emergency Management Act on March 22 and extended to May 31
Additional Resources:
Government of Canada: http://canada.ca/coronavirus
Government of Canada toll-free information line 1-833-784-4397
The Mental Health Provincial Crisis Line is available 24/7 to anyone experiencing a mental health or addictions crisis, or someone concerned about them, by calling 1-888-429-8167 (toll-free)
Kids Help Phone is available 24/7, by calling 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free)
For help or information about domestic violence 24/7, call 1-855-225-0220 (toll-free)
