Nova Scotia is reporting 1,491 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19, 28 hospitalizations and four deaths during the seven-day period ending June 27. The number of new PCR-positive tests has increased slightly compared to the previous reporting period; however, long-term care outbreaks, hospital admissions and deaths have decreased.
“Our epidemiology shows that unvaccinated people have a substantially higher risk of hospitalization and death compared to people who have three or more doses,” said Dr. Shelley Deeks, Nova Scotia’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health. “And when we compare across ages among those with three or more doses of vaccine, people 70 years and older are at a higher risk of severe outcomes than those aged 50 to 69.”
Since the start of the Omicron waves December 8, 2021, the median age of hospitalizations is 71, and the median age of people who have died is 81. Three of the four COVID-19 deaths reported this week were people 70 years of age or older.
The data show that age is the biggest risk factor for severe disease and that vaccines are continuing to work. The risk of hospitalization is 11.5 times higher for people 70 and older and the risk of death about 117 times higher when compared to those under 50. Within every age group for whom vaccine is available, unvaccinated people are at higher risk of severe illness than those who are vaccinated. Vaccine-related immunity wanes more quickly in people 70 and older, which is why a second booster dose was recommended this spring. Most adults under 70 are still well protected against severe illness by their primary series plus one booster.
Nova Scotians who are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines are still encouraged to receive all doses for which they are recommended.
To date, 65.9 per cent of Nova Scotians 18 and older have received at least one booster dose, and 77,211 people have received a second.
The weekly COVID-19 epidemiologic summary is prepared for the Chief Medical Officer of Health and his team to inform public health’s management of the pandemic. It tracks weekly trends and is focused on monitoring for severe outcomes in key populations. The full report is available here: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/alerts-notices/#epidemiologic-summaries
Additional Resources:
COVID-19 public dashboard:
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/204d6ed723244dfbb763ca3f913c5cad
Report a positive COVID-19 test to be linked to public health support, including virtual care and treatment for those who are eligible: https://c19hc.nshealth.ca/self-report/
Source: Release
