COVID-19 Update: Three deaths, 8 new hospital admissions, 11 discharges

Three more Nova Scotians have died from COVID-19: a woman in her 50s, a woman in her 70s and a man in his 70s.

The province also announced on Thursday that there were 18 new hospital admissions and 11 discharges. There are 85 people who have been admitted to hospital for COVID-19, with 12 in intensive care. Of the 85 in hospital, 81 were admitted during the Omicron wave.

The average age of those in hospital with COVID-19 is 68 and the average length of stay is 6.8 days.

Of the 85 hospital admissions, 18, or 21.2 per cent, are unvaccinated, even though unvaccinated people make up less than 10 per cent of Nova Scotia’s population.

“Please do your part to prevent another loss. Follow restrictions and get your vaccine – whether it’s your first, second or booster dose,” said Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer Dr. Robert Strang in a statement on Thursday.

“Everyone needs to take the Omicron wave seriously and work together to protect our most vulnerable Nova Scotians, our healthcare system and communities,” said Premier Tim Houston in a release.

The province reported one outbreak in a long-term care facility: one staff member and one resident at Taigh Na Mara in Glace Bay.

As of Thursday, there are an estimated 5,430 active COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia. The province’s labs completed 4,402 tests on Wednesday and reported an additional 696 new lab-confirmed cases.