Health officials in Nova Scotia identified three new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, with the total number of active cases remaining at 24.
According to the province’s website, three previously reported cases are now considered resolved.
Public health says all of the new cases are in the Central Zone, which includes the Halifax area, and are all close contacts of previously reported cases.
On Tuesday, the province announced five new cases all in the Central Zone.
Two of the cases from Tuesday are school-based cases first announced Monday. The other three cases are close contacts of previously-reported cases.
PROVINCE ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY SPREAD
On Tuesday, Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang confirmed the province is starting to see community spread in the Halifax area, saying this is the beginning of the second wave of COVID-19.
“We are starting to see community spread. Travel is not just the primary cause of all of the cases in the province now,” said Strang during a news conference on Tuesday.
“We have had seven cases where we can’t identify a source that is directly related to travel. Therefore, we have to conclude that this may be from local transmission. This is very concerning and an important turn of events for us here in Nova Scotia.”
Premier Stephen McNeil says the news is very concerning, and he’s worried Nova Scotian’s aren’t taking the virus seriously.
“This is a wakeup call. COVID is not just entering two of our schools, it’s quickly creeping into a number of our neighbourhoods, particularly here in the central zone,” said McNeil.
Strang noted that only three new COVID-19 cases were reported in September and 21 cases in October. So far this month, 42 cases have been announced, which indicates Nova Scotia is at the beginning of a second wave.
“That’s a trajectory we can’t continue to follow,” said Strang. “The ultimate trajectory, again, depends on us.”
