COVID-19: More than 4,000 people identified as high-risk contacts in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia announced 70 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and said 548 active cases remain in the province.

The number is down from the 75 cases reported on Wednesday, and the record total of 96 on Tuesday.

Even though cases numbers have gone down slightly, Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said two days does not make a trend, but Nova Scotia is going in that direction.

Strang also said the province now has the highest level of activity since the pandemic started. This is why people must wait longer for their test results to come back.

“If you have been in close contact with someone who tested positive, do not wait for public health to call you. Start isolating right away,” he said.

Strang said there’s more than 4,000 who have been identified as high-risk contacts and told to isolate for 14 days.

READ MORE: N.S. to expand AstraZeneca vaccine for people age 40 to 54

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“There’s hundreds if probably not thousands more have had lower risk exposures in that Halifax area,” he said.

People with lower risk exposures just need to get a test, but if someone has been identified as a moderate risk they need to isolate until they get their test results back.

Premier Iain Rankin, who was also at the COVID-19 briefing Thursday, said that the province is working on a package to support businesses during this time, but did not provide any specific details.

He also said the province’s immunization plan is gaining speed.

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“As long as we continue to get supply, we will have an opportunity for every Nova Scotian to get a vaccine shot by June,” said Rankin.

Strang also reminded Nova Scotians tthe outdoors is much safer than indoors when it comes to COVID-19.

“We want people to keep active and be outdoors for their mental and physical health,” he said, adding that people must keep a six feet distance from others.

New cases

Of the new cases, 59 are in the central zone, nine are in the eastern zone, and two are in the northern zone.

So far, Fourteen people are in hospital, including four in the ICU.

Due to technical difficulties, the province said the total number of tests and number of tests completed at the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s labs on April 28 is not available.

As of April 28, 304,187 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Of those, 35,994 Nova Scotians have received their second dose.

Since Oct. 1, there have been 1,271 positive COVID-19 cases and two deaths. There are 721 resolved cases.

-With files from Alex Cooke