N.S. reports 10 COVID-19 deaths, says kids under 5 eligible for 2nd dose

Nova Scotia reported 10 deaths from COVID-19 for the week ending Sept. 26, the province's updated COVID-19 dashboard showed Thursday.

The province announced Thursday children five and under are eligible to be booked for their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if they received their first dose in early August.

There were an average of 142 daily COVID-19 cases confirmed by PCR testing during the last reporting period,up from close to128 last week.Twelve people died of COVID-19 in the previous reporting period. The median age of deaths for this reporting week is 83.

As of Thursday, Sept. 29, Nova Scotia Health reported 292 patients in hospitals across the province tested positive for COVID-19 an increase of 66from the previous week. That number includes:

• 50 patientsin hospital being treated for COVID-19, seven in intensive care.
• 138 patients in hospital have COVID-19 but are being treated for something else.
• 104 patients in hospital contracted COVID-19 after being admitted to hospital.

Nova Scotia Health reported 153 employees off work on Thursday due to being diagnosed as positive for COVID-19, awaiting results of a COVID-19 test, or being exposed to a member of their household who tested positive for COVID-19. Last week that number was 171.

As of Thursday, the IWK Children's Hospital is reporting fewer than five childrenin hospitalbeing treated for COVID-19. There are 32 staff members who are off work due to COVID-19, including four who are self-isolating.