HEAVIEST RAIN FORECAST FOR GUYSBOROUGH AND EASTERN SHORE PLUS CAPE BRETON, POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS FOR OUR AREA

If you’re travelling in these next few days leading up to Christmas, here’s something to be wary of.  And it’s especially true if people on the Eastern Mainland or Cape Breton are part of your 10-person Christmas bubble.  People in that part of the province could see localized flooding today as temperatures warm up and bring them up to 50 mm of rain today and tonight.  We’ll likely get about half that much in the Pictou County area, but flurries are forecast for tomorrow.   And don’t rule out a thunderstorm tonight! 

 

TWO NEW CASES OF CORONAVIRUS IN NS, PLUS FLIGHTS FROM THE U-K BANNED

Two new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Nova Scotia. One new case is in the northern zone and is related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada. The person is self-isolating as required. The other case is in the central zone and is still under investigation.  There are now 41 cases of COVID that are known to be active across the province.  Doctor Robert Strang and the Premier plan to hold their latest update on the pandemic at 3 o’clock this afternoon.  (Monday)

 

Canada will stop incoming flights from the U.K. for 72 hours to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus strain.  The policy came into effect at midnight for all commercial and private passenger flights.  Passengers arriving in Canada from the U.K. will also receive “secondary screening and enhanced measures, including increased scrutiny of quarantine plans.”  The move is to counter a fast-spreading COVID-19 “variant” that has turned up in the U-K.

 

Public Health has released an updated list of three new potential COVID-19 exposure sites, including locations in Northern Zone, Central Zone and on an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Halifax on Dec. 11th.

That flight was Air Canada flight #614 travelling on Friday, Dec. 11th from Toronto at 1:55 p.m., arriving in Halifax at 5:55 p.m. Passengers in rows 24 to 30, in seats D, E, F are asked to continue to self-isolate and visit covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/en to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms.

All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Any passenger exposed to the virus on that flight may develop symptoms up to, and including, Dec. 25th.

Anyone present at the following locations on the specified date and time is asked to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.

• Sobeys Elmsdale (269 Hwy 214, Elmsdale) on Dec. 14 between 6 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and Dec. 15 between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. Anyone exposed to the virus at this location on these days may develop symptoms up to, and including, Dec. 29.
• Apple Store – Halifax Shopping Centre (7001 Mumford Rd, Halifax) on Dec. 11 between 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, Dec. 25.

 

ABERDEEN HOSPITAL NAMED “BIRTH-FRIENDLY”

New Glasgow’s Aberdeen Hospital has become only the second one in Nova Scotia be awarded the official “Baby-Friendly” designation from the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada (BCC).  The provincial Health Authority says the designation is given to facilities providing maternity and newborn care that meets national best practice standards.

These include practicing skin-to-skin contact after birth, rooming babies with their families, educating families on the benefits of breastfeeding and providing follow up care once the family leave hospital. Besides the Aberdeen, the only other hospital in the province to get that recognition as a top place to have a baby is the IWK in Halifax. (File Photo)

Fear of contracting COVID-19 in hospitals or doctors’ offices has prompted some mothers-to-be to choose to take on midwives and have their babies at home, midwifery groups say. A recent survey shows a pronounced uptick in women interested in home births began as the pandemic took hold in the spring.  The situation is most pronounced in Ontario and B-C, where Coronavirus is a major issue.  In this province, there are no ongoing hospitalizations from COVID, so that situation doesn’t seem to be such a pronounced factor for Nova Scotian families.

 

PILOT HELPS LESSEN THE PAIN FROM LAST WEEK’S SCALLOP BOAT TRAGEDY

A Dartmouth pilot with a talent for drawing up flight paths that put his airplane on a course with “a special human touch” has taken to the skies to show support for the families of missing scallop fishermen in the Digby County area.

Dimitri Neonakis got pretty well-known across the province this year for doing up his flight paths to mark tragedies.   And last week, Neonakis flew over Digby and Yarmouth in honour of the crewmen who went missing aboard the Chief William Saulis in Delaps Cove last Tuesday.   He drew what he titled “The Heavy Heart” — which flew his plane in the shape of a heart weighed down by an anchor. (Neonakis Facebook Photo)