I'm sure everyone has seen the number 37 for new cases. That hasn't been officially confirmed, but seems probable as it was on a provincial platform.

I was getting multiple messages last night that it would be in the 30-40 range today, so that seems to fit.

37 is confirmed. Details when I get them.

We're about to start.

McNeil: we have 37 new cases, total 87 active cases.

McNeil: "this is your wake up call"

McNeil: most are in Halifax, but 1 in northern zone and one in western zone at [didn't catch name of school]. School is closed.

McNeil: effective midnight Wed., all licenced establishments are closed indoors, as are gyms, libraries, and museums.

closure is for 2 weeks.

McNeil: now, the $1,000 fine for violating 5-person limit is for every person at event.

Strang: [kindly apologized to me. I accept]

Here are the restrictions:

Strang: 72% of cases in November are in 18-35 age group.

Strang: I'm going to talk about how to stop the virus from spreading...

Strang: because of incubation period, high numbers will continue for a week to 10 days, but the impact of "tough measures" will come after that. So expect more high numbers.

Strang: we may see cases in hospitals and nursing homes. I don't want to scare people, but just want people to understand what we're facing.

Strang: the area now includes Elmsdale. Goes east to Porters Lake.

Strang: we're going further than 5 limit.

Strang: we've learned from other provinces, so we're doing this early.

Strang: at least for the next 2 weeks, starting Monday, midnight restaurants and bars are closed to in-house patrons.

Strang repeats closures in above press release.

Strang: sports teams cannot travel into or out of the Halifax area. No practices or games in HRM. If you live in HRM and are on a provincial team, you can't go.

Strang: no travel for any sports into HRM.

Strang: closing faith based meetings larger than 5.

Strang: focus on essential shopping only. Use online options when they're available, including local artisans, craftspeople, etc.

Strang: wear a mask, wash your hands.

Strang: don't come to Halifax for Black Friday. "HRM at least for the next two weeks is not a shopping destination for the rest of the province"

Strang: effective Thursday, all nursing homes are closed to visitors (with some exceptions)

Strang: Don't travel out of Halifax. Don't travel into Halifax. Except for work and medical needs.

Strang: only essential travel to other provinces, even those in the bubble.

Strang: schools will stay open. School age children are not where we're seeing transmission. And no one has caught the disease in a school, not even at Auburn and Graham Creighton (they caught it elsewhere)

Strang; if we have to change that, we will.

Strang: barbers and hair stylists can stay open, but masks required. "We have no evidence at all that those personal one-on-one procedures are causing infection"

comment: they're coming down harder and faster than I had expected. (I'm not opposing them, just didn't expect this much)

Strang: Halifax police will focus on private gatherings.

Strang: the people who have been inspecting bars will now focus on retail generally

Strang: I hope people rise to the occasion and do the right thing.

Strang: if you see people breaking the 5-person limit, call the non-emergency police line. HRM police had 55 such calls yesterday.

Strang: we're going to more asymptomatic testing.

Strang: the vast majority of positive cases in the past week were young people; many were asymptomatic, other with very minor symptoms.

Strang: in a single night out, someone who is asymptomatic can infect dozens of people.

Strang: anyone who works in or has been in a bar in HRM, you can get tested. [I think he means those after 10pm; I'll find the link]

Strang: popup testing on the Sexton campus today. Other rapid test sites are coming.

Strang: we'll do this for 2 weeks. We're doing this much sooner than other provinces. Doing it now may let us lift the restrictions earlier than otherwise.

Strang: if we see it in another part of the province, we'll do the same thing there.

Strang: "we're in a pandemic, life has to be different."

Strang: "this year, the way we show we care for each other, is keeping each other safe."

Strang: a good idea for the holidays is to give to a local charity.

Strang: this has been weighing on me. It's hard for everyone. "We are where we are."