Strang Expects Rising Covid-19 Cases In Nova Scotia, Warns Of Possible Community Spread
HALIFAX — Covid-19 cases in Nova Scotia are beginning to show up with more frequency, and the province’s top doctor is worried that may be a sign of community spread.
Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said he’s becoming concerned about the possibility of undetected spread of Covid-19 in the province, particularly in a few specific geographic locations.
Today, the province identified three new cases of Covid-19, bringing the provincial total to 21.
Several of the cases identified over the past few days have not yet been linked to travel outside the province or an existing case. Strang said Nova Scotians also appear to be socializing more frequently with more people.
Because of those factors, Strang said he expects to see Covid-19 case numbers climb even higher in the coming days.
“We’re talking about the pandemic but not acting like we’re in one,” Strang said.
He said he recognizes that Covid-19 fatigue is real, but asked Nova Scotians to slow down their social activity, even if they’re already following all the public health guidelines.
He asked anyone who is socializing frequently, even if they’re doing it within guidelines, to add regular Covid-19 testing to their routines.
The province is also increasing Covid-19 testing capacity in two regions of the province Strang is particularly worried about: in Lower Sackville and Beaver Bank, as well as in the Annapolis Valley between Wolfville and Berwick.
Strang asked anyone living in those regions to schedule a Covid-19 test within the next few days.
He said there are “signs of hope on the horizon” with vaccines continuing to roll out, but that Nova Scotians need to stick with public health restrictions and testing for another two or three months.
“We are able to enjoy many things here in Nova Scotia that people in other parts of Canada cannot. But if we lose sight of the fact that we’re in a pandemic… we might have to lose the ability to have some of those activities,” Strang said.
“We are still in a pandemic,” he added. “We can’t let up now.”