HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 for the sixth day in a row. The total number of confirmed cases remains at 1,061.
Nova Scotia last reported a new case of COVID-19 on June 9.
Monday marks exactly three months since the province reported its first three presumptive cases of the virus, on March 15.
The QEII Health Sciences Centre's microbiology lab completed 456 Nova Scotia tests on Sunday.
To date, Nova Scotia has 49,100 negative test results.
The province isn’t reporting any additional deaths. Sixty-two Nova Scotians have died from COVID-19, including 53 residents of Halifax’s Northwood long-term care facility, which has seen the most significant outbreak in the province.
There are no longer any active COVID-19 cases at Northwood, or at any other long-term care home in the province.
3 active cases
The province says there are still three active cases of the virus in the province and 996 resolved cases.
There are still two people in hospital, including one patient in an intensive care unit.
The confirmed cases range in age from under 10 to over 90.
Sixty-two per cent of cases are female and 38 per cent are male.
There are some changes to the number of cases confirmed in each of the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s four zones. The provincial government says cumulative cases by zone may change as data is updated in Panorama, the province’s electronic information system.
The numbers now reflect where a person lives, and not where their sample was collected.
- western zone: 52 cases
- central zone: 899 cases
- northern zone: 57 cases
- eastern zone: 53 cases
Visits can resume at nursing and care homes
Starting Monday, visits can resume at long-term care facilities and homes for persons with disabilities funded by the Department of Community Services.
The visits must happen outside and visitors are required to stay two metres, or six feet, away from residents and staff.
Individual facilities will communicate directly with residents and their families to arrange visits. All facilities must follow COVID-19 guidelines outlined by public health.
"COVID-19 has been hardest on seniors and those with disabilities living in nursing and special care homes. It has been lonely and difficult, but it has been necessary," said Premier Stephen McNeil in a news release on Monday.
"I understand it is not the long-awaited hug you have been craving, but sitting in the fresh air for a visit with a loved one is a good first step. If we do this properly and keep everyone safe, you will be able to get that hug when the time is right."
Not all facilities may be open to visitors at this time.
Daycares reopen across the province
Licensed child-care centres and family daycares reopened across Nova Scotia on Monday as the province continues to ease some of its COVID-19 restrictions.
Child-care centres are allowed to open at a minimum capacity of 50 per cent while family daycare homes can open at full capacity.
All daycares and child-care facilities are required to follow strict COVID-19 guidelines and have an individual plan in place to support reopening.
Some of the measures include increased cleaning, staggered pick-up and drop-off times, and limiting the number of visitors entering the facilities.
The provincial government says it will provide facilities with hand sanitizer and single-use surgical masks for the next six months.
It also says families will not be required to pay fees if they cannot access their child-care space, or are not ready to return, and their spots will still be held.
Symptoms and self-isolation
Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 is required to self-isolate at home, away from the public, for 14 days.
Anyone who travels outside of Nova Scotia must also self-isolate for two weeks.
Last month, the province expanded the list of symptoms for which it is screening.
Anyone who experiences one of the following symptoms is encouraged to take an online test to determine if they should call 811 for further assessment:
- fever (i.e. chills, sweats)
- cough or worsening of a previous cough
- sore throat
- headache
- shortness of breath
- muscle aches
- sneezing
- nasal congestion/runny nose
- hoarse voice
- diarrhea
- unusual fatigue
- loss of sense of smell or taste
The Nova Scotia government announced Friday that the provincial state of emergency has been extended.
The order took effect at noon on Sunday and will remain in effect until June 28, unless the government terminates or extends it.
