**** HEALTH/WELLNESS Media Release
No New Cases of COVID-19, Day Cares Open Tomorrow
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As of today, June 14, Nova Scotia has 1,061 confirmed cases of COVID-19. No new cases were identified Saturday, June 13.
Licensed childcare centres and family daycare homes can reopen tomorrow, June 15. Childcare centres will begin opening at 50 per cent capacity and can move up to 100 per cent if they are able to meet public health’s COVID-19 guidelines for childcare settings. Family daycare homes will open at full capacity. All facilities must follow COVID-19 guidelines outlined by public health.
“I want to thank daycare operators and employees across the province for their patience and their hard work to ensure our children are returning to a place where they can safely learn and play with their peers,” said Premier Stephen McNeil. “I also want to thank parents and caregivers for adapting to having their children at home or making other arrangements. I know it wasn’t easy.”
The public health guidelines for licensed childcare are available at http://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/education .
The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 569 Nova Scotia tests on June 13 and is operating 24-hours.
There are no licensed long-term care homes in Nova Scotia with active cases of COVID-19.
To date, Nova Scotia has 48,786 negative test results, 1,061 positive COVID-19 cases, 62 deaths, and three active COVID-19 cases. Cases range in age from under 10 to over 90. Two individuals are currently in hospital, one of those in ICU. Nine-hundred and ninety-six cases are now resolved. Cases have been identified in all parts of the province. Cumulative cases by zone may change as data is updated in Panorama.
The list of symptoms being screened for has recently expanded. 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
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 of 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 gatherings of people outside your household or family household bubble to no more than 10.
Nova Scotians can find accurate, up-to-date information, handwashing posters and fact sheets at http://novascotia.ca/coronavirus .
Businesses and other organizations can find information to help them safely reopen at http://novascotia.ca/reopening-nova-scotia/ .
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 June 28
— licensed childcare and family daycare homes under an agency closed on March 17
— since March 17, government has provided $35 million to the sector to ensure they are ready to welcome families back when it’s time to reopen
— there are 342 licensed childcare providers and 13 family daycare home agencies that support more than 220 family daycare homes across the province
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)
