N.S. reports 21 new deaths, 49 hospitalizations from COVID-19 in weekly update

Nova Scotia reported21 newCOVID-19 deaths, 49 hospitalizations and a daily average of 211 lab-confirmed cases in its latest weekly figures released Thursday.

Last week, the province reported ninedeaths and 41 hospitalizations.

The latest figures are from a seven-day period that ended June 6. The province saidtwo deaths occurred last week, while 19occurred between April 25 and May 30. It saidthere is typically a delay in reporting deaths.

The province said for people 70 and older, the risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 isnearly 11 times higher, while the risk of death is about 125 times higher, compared to people younger than 50.

Of the COVID-19 deaths reported this week, 19 were people at least 70 years old.The other two people were between the ages of 60 and 69.

When adjusted for age, the province calculates that people who are unvaccinated or only have one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine have a death rate:

• 7.5 times higher than those with two doses.
• 13 times greater thanthose with three or more doses.

Since March 2020, there have been 421COVID-19 deaths in Nova Scotia.

The province is encouraging people to get vaccinated if they haven't already. Those who are 70 or older are encouraged to get a second booster dose.

Since the beginning of the Omicronwave in Nova Scotia on Dec.8, 2021:

• The median age of PCR-confirmed cases of COVID-19 is 43.
• The median age of hospitalizations is 72.
• The median age of reported deaths is 81.

Nova Scotia Health says34people are in hospital because of COVID-19, with four in intensive care.

It saidanother164 people have COVID-19 but are in hospital for another reason.

The health authority said there are 63 people in hospital who contracted COVID-19 after being admitted.

Its numbers do not include the IWK Health Centre.

There are 155Nova Scotia Healthemployees off work on Thursday due to being diagnosed withCOVID-19, awaiting results of a COVID-19 testor being exposed to a household member who tested positive for COVID-19.

The breakdown ofNova Scotia Health employees off work in each zone is:

• Central zone: 76.
• Eastern zone: 33.
• Northern zone: 22.
• Western zone: 27.