Nova Scotia reports 611 new cases as province urges people to conserve rapid tests

While Nova Scotians have been encouraged to use rapid COVID-19 tests as a precautionary measure, the province is now asking people to use the available resources sparingly as the Omicron variant continues to drive a spike in case numbers.

The province announced 611 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday — the first day in over a week that Nova Scotia has not set a new record for daily case counts. 

Of the new cases, 393 are in the central zone, 60 cases are in the eastern zone, 59 cases are in the northern zone and 99 cases are in the western zone.

Fifteen people are in hospital — up one from Thursday — and four are in the ICU.

There are an estimated 4,266 active cases. Provincial labs completed more than 8,897 tests Thursday.

The province said there is one new case at Parkstone Enhanced Care in Halifax. A total of two residents and two staff members have tested positive. No one related to the home is in hospital.

There are no changes in current hospital outbreaks.

In a news release Friday, the province said it is changing its approach to testing and how cases are managed due to the growing number of cases.

The province distributed more than a million rapid tests this month. But now, the rapid tests should be used only when people have symptoms or are identified as close contacts.

"Nobody should be using these precious resources every few days just to feel safe ... We need to use those resources wisely given the current epidemiology," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, in the release.

"For at least the next few weeks, everyone needs to limit socializing to their consistent group of 10, which includes their own household, so there shouldn't be a need for a lot of testing for social occasions."

Strang said everyone who needs a COVID-19 test will still be able to get one.

Friday and over the Christmas weekend, people who have symptoms or who are considered a close contact will be able to book PCR tests if appointments are available in their area.

If not, they should use a rapid test, which are available at pop-up sites in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Other pop-up locations and public health mobile units will be available elsewhere in the province starting next week.