Nova Scotia reported one additional case of the novel coronavirus on Canada Day.
Health officials said Wednesday the case is travel-related and is the result of a Nova Scotian travelling outside of Canada.
The newly confirmed case pushes the province’s total to 1,063 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak began.
“Happy Canada Day. This year looks different because of COVID-19, but I know each of you will find unique ways to celebrate this province and the country we live in. However you celebrate this great country today, be safe,” said Premier Stephen McNeil in a press release.
“The new cases this week show that COVID-19 is still very much here.”
“So please continue to follow public health directives and advice, look out for your fellow Nova Scotians and do all you can to keep COVID-19 under control.”
Before a single case was announced on Tuesday, Nova Scotia had gone 20 straight days without a new case of COVID-19.
The case on Tuesday was also travel-related.
At this time the two active cases in the province are not in hospital.
Two patients’ whose COVID-19 infections are considered resolved remain in hospital for treatment.
“While this virus has changed many of our traditions, Nova Scotians have shown they’re willing to do what is necessary to help stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health for Nova Scotia.
“I ask everyone to continue to practise good hand washing, maintain a physical distance when and where required and wear a non-medical mask when physical distancing is difficult.”
The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 388 Nova Scotia tests on June 30 and continues to operate 24-hours a day, the province said.
There are no licensed long-term care homes in Nova Scotia with active cases of COVID-19.
To date, Nova Scotia has 53,544 negative test results, 1,062 COVID-19 cases and 63 deaths.
The province said those with COVID-19 cases range in age from under 10 to over 90. A total of 998 cases are considered resolved.
The province continues to recommend that anyone with two or more of the following symptoms to visit Nova Scotia’s 811 website to help determine if they should call 811 for further assessment:
- Fever
- 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 a clear cause
The additional case comes only days ahead of the launch of an Atlantic Canadian travel bubble.
Interprovincial travel will be allowed to happen between Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador without self-isolation.
Visitors from other provinces and territories will have to follow guidelines of the specific province they are visiting.
Visitors from non-Maritime provinces and territories still must adhere to the local entry requirements in place in each of the four jurisdictions. Other Canadian visitors to the Maritime provinces that have self-isolated for 14 days may travel within the Maritime region.
–With files from Aya Al-Hakim and Graeme Benjamin