The Heat Warning is continued for Pictou, Antigonish, and Colchester Counties for today and likely again on Friday.  The high today is 29 with the humidity making it feel more like 37.

 

 

Doctors in Atlantic Canada are warning that there aren’t enough beds in emergency departments, because too many people are seeking care in non-emergency situations.   Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians president Dr. Mike Howlett says “bed-blocking” is driving high numbers of emergency department deaths.  Howlett says ideally patients should be treated in the emergency department and then moved out, but a lack of support resources is preventing that from happening.  Nova Scotia’s health authority released data showing emergency department deaths hit a six-year high in 2023, an increase of more than 19 per cent year-over-year.

 

 

Nova Scotians are being asked to share their opinions on the current state of policing in the province.  An anonymous survey has been launched by the Department of Justice as part of the province’s comprehensive review of policing services.  Attorney General and Justice Minister Barbara Adams says she hopes as many people as possible take a moment to share their experiences and ideas about policing so the government can create a law enforcement system that is responsive and meets the needs of the people it serves.  The survey is available on the provincial government website and submissions will be accepted until July 31st.

 

 

R-C-M-P are investigating an alleged instance of hate-motivated vandalism in West River.  The Antigonish County R-C-M-P say last week they responded to a report of vandalism in a tunnel that runs under Highway 1-0-4.  Police say officers found that someone had spray-painted racist graffiti on the roadway and tunnel wall and are asking the public to share any information they may have about the incident.  The racist graffiti has since been removed.

 

 

The province says Nova Scotia will soon offer at-home H-P-V testing kits.

Doctor Robert Grimshaw of the Nova Scotia Health Cervical Cancer Screening Program says tests are expected to roll out in two years.

The move is expected to make testing more accessible for people without primary care physicians.

British Columbia became the first province to offer at-home testing earlier this year.