Nova Scotia tightened its isolation requirements Monday as a cluster of new COVID-19 cases was identified in a Halifax neighbourhood, bringing the total number of active cases in the province to 16.
Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said nine cases were identified in the Clayton Park area.
In light of the recent cases, Premier Stephen McNeil said travellers coming into Nova Scotia from outside the Atlantic provinces would have to isolate away from family and friends, as new COVID-19 cases continue to be identified among close family contacts.
Premier Stephen McNeil said he’s concerned about the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia. (Communications Nova Scotia)
Strang said if travellers don’t have the accommodations to isolate alone, everyone in the household must also isolate.
“People need to understand that if they’re taking people into their home … they are imposing a full 14-day isolation on themselves and the rest of their household members,” he said, adding that also includes children in the home.
The change does not affect rotational workers, specialized workers, people who have exceptions to attend a funeral or be with an immediate family member, and people who are exempt from self-isolation under the public health order, such as military, police, first responders, truckers and flight crews.
Cluster in Clayton Park
McNeil said he’s concerned about the rising number of cases in the Central Zone, especially in the Clayton Park area, which also includes Rockingham, Kearney Lake, Bayer’s Lake and Lakeside.
One new case in the zone was reported Monday and was identified as a close contact of a previously reported case, according to a provincial government release.
Strang said Public Health was working to identify possible contacts in the area, as several exposures were announced over the weekend, including:
The Bitter End Martini Bar and Restaurant on Argyle Street in Halifax on Nov. 2 from 9 p.m. to close.
All Nations Full Gospel Church worshipping at Saint Andrew’s United Church on Coburg Road., Halifax on Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.
Montana’s BBQ and Bar on Chain Lake Drive in Halifax on Oct. 25 from 6 p.m. to close.
Anyone who was at these locations has been asked to call 811 to set up a test, even if they don’t have symptoms.
Strang said Public Health was also working to make testing faster for those that may have been exposed at these locations by setting up a mobile testing unit in the Clayton Park area and giving testing priority to those who were at these three locations.
Two new possible exposures
On Monday, Public Health also warned people of two new possible COVID-19 exposures in Bedford, including:
Sobeys Mill Cove, 961 Bedford Hwy. on Nov. 6 between 8-10 p.m.
NSLC Mill Cove, 955 Bedford Hwy. on Nov. 6 between 8-9 p.m.
Anyone at these locations during these times have been asked to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Those exposed at these locations may develop symptoms up to, and including, Nov. 20.
Gahan House at 5239 Sackville St. on Nov. 4 from 7:45-11:45 p.m.
Halifax Transit Route 59 from Portland Terminal to Alderney Terminal on Nov. 4 from 1-2 p.m.
Braemar Superstore at 9 Braemar Dr. on Nov. 3 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Fit4Less Bedford at 1658 Bedford Highway on Nov. 3 from 7:30-11 p.m.
Canada Games Centre on Thomas Raddall Dr. on Nov. 2 from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
BMO Soccer Centre at 210 Thomas Raddall Dr. on Nov. 1 from 6-9 p.m.
Dollarama in Scotia Square Mall between Oct. 27-30 between 12-3 p.m.
WestJet Flight 254 on Oct. 30 that departed 9:45 p.m., and arrived in Halifax at 1 a.m. AT on Oct. 31. Passengers in rows 39 to 45 in seats A, B, and C should call 811 for advice.
Sobeys Clayton Park at 287 Lacewood Dr., on Nov. 3 between noon-1 p.m.
Air Canada Flight 622 on Oct. 30 that departed Toronto at 6:40 p.m. and landed in Halifax at 9:41 p.m. AT. Passengers in rows 16 to 23 in seats D, E, and F should call 811 for advice.
Chrismaria Family Restaurant on Commercial St. in New Minas between 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 24.
‘We’re not here to judge’
Strang said anyone who receives a call from Public Health is reminded to be honest about where they’ve been to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia.
“We’re not here to judge, we’re just here to help people,” he said. “Our only priority is to contain the spread of the virus and we can only do that if people are honest with us about the details of where they might have been and who they’ve been in contact with.”
Five cases that were listed as active on Sunday are no longer considered active.
[embedded content]
A government news release said Nova Scotia Health Authority labs completed 658 tests Sunday, although due to a technical issue, the number does not include some tests from labs outside of the Central Zone. The numbers will be updated when that information is available.
So far, Nova Scotia has had 1,129 positive cases and 65 deaths. No one is currently in hospital.
The latest numbers from around the Atlantic bubble are:
New Brunswick reported one new case Sunday. It had 24 active cases.
CALGARY – TC Energy Corp. has lowered the estimated cost of its Southeast Gateway pipeline project in Mexico.
It says it now expects the project to cost between US$3.9 billion and US$4.1 billion compared with its original estimate of US$4.5 billion.
The change came as the company reported a third-quarter profit attributable to common shareholders of C$1.46 billion or $1.40 per share compared with a loss of C$197 million or 19 cents per share in the same quarter last year.
Revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 30 totalled C$4.08 billion, up from C$3.94 billion in the third quarter of 2023.
TC Energy says its comparable earnings for its latest quarter amounted to C$1.03 per share compared with C$1.00 per share a year earlier.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 95 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.
BCE Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter as it recorded $2.11 billion in asset impairment charges, mainly related to Bell Media’s TV and radio properties.
The company says its net loss attributable to common shareholders amounted to $1.24 billion or $1.36 per share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with a profit of $640 million or 70 cents per share a year earlier.
On an adjusted basis, BCE says it earned 75 cents per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of 81 cents per share in the same quarter last year.
“Bell’s results for the third quarter demonstrate that we are disciplined in our pursuit of profitable growth in an intensely competitive environment,” BCE chief executive Mirko Bibic said in a statement.
“Our focus this quarter, and throughout 2024, has been to attract higher-margin subscribers and reduce costs to help offset short-term revenue impacts from sustained competitive pricing pressures, slow economic growth and a media advertising market that is in transition.”
Operating revenue for the quarter totalled $5.97 billion, down from $6.08 billion in its third quarter of 2023.
BCE also said it now expects its revenue for 2024 to fall about 1.5 per cent compared with earlier guidance for an increase of zero to four per cent.
The company says the change comes as it faces lower-than-anticipated wireless product revenue and sustained pressure on wireless prices.
BCE added 33,111 net postpaid mobile phone subscribers, down 76.8 per cent from the same period last year, which was the company’s second-best performance on the metric since 2010.
It says the drop was driven by higher customer churn — a measure of subscribers who cancelled their service — amid greater competitive activity and promotional offer intensity. BCE’s monthly churn rate for the category was 1.28 per cent, up from 1.1 per cent during its previous third quarter.
The company also saw 11.6 per cent fewer gross subscriber activations “due to more targeted promotional offers and mobile device discounting compared to last year.”
Bell’s wireless mobile phone average revenue per user was $58.26, down 3.4 per cent from $60.28 in the third quarter of the prior year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada Goose Holdings Inc. trimmed its financial guidance as it reported its second-quarter revenue fell compared with a year ago.
The luxury clothing company says revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 29 totalled $267.8 million, down from $281.1 million in the same quarter last year.
Net income attributable to shareholders amounted to $5.4 million or six cents per diluted share, up from $3.9 million or four cents per diluted share a year earlier.
On an adjusted basis, Canada Goose says it earned five cents per diluted share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of 16 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
In its outlook, Canada Goose says it now expects total revenue for its full financial year to show a low-single-digit percentage decrease to low-single-digit percentage increase compared with earlier guidance for a low-single-digit increase.
It also says it now expects its adjusted net income per diluted share to show a mid-single-digit percentage increase compared with earlier guidance for a percentage increase in the mid-teens.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.
