The province has recorded its first death from COVID-19.
At a press conference Tuesday, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang confirmed a Cape Breton area woman in her 70s died Monday.
He says it’s very unfortunate the death happened, but it’s the sad reality of the disease.
Dr. Strang says that’s why they’re putting these measures in place.
He says 80 per cent of people need to adhere to public health directives for them to be effective.
Dr. Strang says, if even a small number don’t, everyone else’s efforts will be wasted.
“Then we will have a situation of a disease spread that’s unable to be managed, a healthcare system that’s overwhelmed,” he says. “If that happens, make no mistake, Nova Scotia is close-knit, all of us and our families will be touched by somebody who’s severely ill and somebody, quite likely, dying.”
Dr. Strang says failing to meet at least 80 per cent compliance could lead to hundreds of preventable deaths.
17 new cases were announced Tuesday; there are now 310 province-wide, with 30 in the eastern zone.
