Nova Scotia reports zero COVID-19 deaths in July

There were no deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Nova Scotia in July, according to the latest numbers provided by the province’s Health Department.

That’s a significant decrease from the previous month, when eight deaths from COVID-19 were reported.

There was a decrease in numbers across the board in comparison to the numbers reported in June, according to the monthly COVID-19 report released by the Nova Scotia Health Department on Tuesday.

There were 260 PCR positive tests and 35 hospitalizations in July, down from 463 PCR positive tests and 65 hospitalizations in June.

The Health Department said age and under-vaccination continue to be associated with severe outcomes of the virus.

Nova Scotians 70 and over are 30 times more likely to have been hospitalized, compared to those 18-49, and are 22 times more likely to die, compared with those 50-69.

Nova Scotians who were unvaccinated or had not completed their primary series were hospitalized and died at about two times the rate (1.7 and 2.1, respectively) as those who received a booster within 168 days.

The summary of confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and outcomes from July 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023 tallies 39,261 cases provincewide; 4.7 per cent were hospitalized and 0.7 per cent were admitted to an ICU.

Since July 1, 2022, there have been a total of 404 deaths because of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia. The people who died ranged in age from 14 to 107; the median age is 84.