HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia is reporting 46 new cases of COVID-19 Monday, bringing the province's total to 721.
The 46 new cases is a new single-day high total for the province. Previously the province had reported 43 new cases of COVID-19 on April 18 and also on April 13.
The province is not reporting any new COVID-19 related deaths on Monday, after reporting deaths on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
As of April 19, the province reports nine licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors' facilities in Nova Scotia with cases of COVID-19, involving 127 residents and 61 staff.
PREMIER, DR. STRANG ADDRESS KILLING SPREE
During a news conference on Monday afternoon, Premier Stephen McNeil and Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Robert Strang addressed Sunday's mass shooting, and reiterated the importance of maintaining physical distancing while mourning the victims.
“While we want to mourn victims and come together as communities, we need to do that in a way that does not create an environment for COVID-19 to further spread," said Strang. "I know that the RCMP and the victims families will appreciate the outpouring of support that is coming their way, but we cannot gather together to support.”
“When COVID-19 is passed, and it will, we can come together as a province, stronger than ever, to come together to remember the victims of yesterday’s tragedy in a way we are accustomed to. But today, we need to focus on mourning safely.”
Strang added that the province has received numerous requests from national and international media outlets to bring reporters in from outside Nova Scotia to cover the shooting, but the province has rejected those requests, citing public health orders.
"We must not forget that in the midst of this tragedy, we are still fighting a deadly virus," said McNeil. "We need to continue to flatten the curve on COVID-19. The next two weeks will be critical, and now more than ever, we need your cooperation. The best way we can honour the victims of this tragedy is to continue to act in a way that protects our fellow Nova Scotians."
MORE CASE NUMBERS
The province says 248 people have recovered from the virus and their cases are considered resolved.
The 48 new recoveries are also a single-day high for the province.
The QEII Health Sciences Centre's microbiology lab completed 874 tests on Sunday and is operating 24-hours.
To date, Nova Scotia has 21,769 negative test results and 721 positive results.
Twelve people are currently in hospital. Four of those patients are in intensive care units.
The confirmed cases range in age from under 10 to over 90.
NO NEW DEATHS, NINE TOTAL
The province did not report any new COVID-19 related deaths on Monday, the first day no new deaths were reported since April 16.
Five people died this weekend at Halifax's Northwood long-term health facility; two on Saturday and three on Friday.
Eight of the nine confirmed COVID-19 related deaths in the province have been connected to long-term care facilities.
On Saturday, Shannex confirmed that a resident who lived at Harbourstone Enhanced Care in Sydney died in hospital from COVID-19 on Friday.
On Monday, April 13, a man in his 80s died at the Admiral Long Term Care Centre in Dartmouth, N.S.
On April 6, a woman in her 70s died at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, becoming the province's first COVID-19 related death. It was later revealed that she was a resident at the Northside Community Guest Home in North Sydney, N.S.
The lone death that has not been connected to a long-term care facility is a woman in her 90s who died on April 8 at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.
MORE DETAILS ABOUT SUPPORT PLAN FOR NORTHWOOD
As of April 19, the province reports nine licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors' facilities in Nova Scotia with cases of COVID-19, involving 127 residents and 61 staff.
Strang said Monday that 'the vast majority of those cases' are at Halifax's Northwood long-term care facility. As of Monday, a total of 111 residents and 40 staff members at Northwood’s Halifax campus had tested positive for the coronavirus.
"Unfortunately we expect to see more cases," said Strang on Monday. "My colleagues in Public Health have been involved in conversations today to develop a broader testing strategy that will look to test everybody in that facility that has not been tested, and continue to do repeat testing for people who have been tested but are negative."
On Sunday, McNeil announced that residents of Northwood who have recovered from COVID-19 will be moved to a local hotel. The first resident was taken to the hotel Sunday morning.
Shannex has donated equipment, including electric beds, tables and other supplies for to support the care unit at the hotel.
"This plan to bring people who have recovered out of facility both protects those individuals but also helps bring more people in and create more space and COVID units," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health during Sunday's news conference.
McNeil also announced that 40 N.S. health employees, including employees from the Halifax Infirmary COVID-19 unit have been deployed to Northwood, as have recent medical school graduates.
They will also be establishing a team onsite to conduct testing for COVID-19.
"We are so grateful for the support we've received from our health-care colleagues, so we can continue to focus on the care of our residents," said Janet Simm, CEO of Northwood in a statement issued Sunday. "With the emergency measures that are being put in place, these additional resources will help our team focus on what is most important - providing quality care for our residents. We remain committed to ensuring those in our care continue to receive the best care possible."
WHERE ARE THE CASES LOCATED?
Health officials say there are cases across the province. More information about the breakdown of cases is available in an online map.
The map breaks the cases down according to the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s four zones and indicates where testing was conducted, not necessarily where the individuals live.
On Monday, 40 of the 46 new positive cases were confirmed in the central zone, which contains the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Four cases were confirmed in the western zone, and one case was confirmed in each the eastern zone, and northern zone.
- Western zone: 53 cases
- Central zone: 585 cases
- Northern zone: 37 cases
- Eastern zone: 46 cases
SYMPTOMS AND SELF-ISOLATION
The province has also recently expanded the list of symptoms for which it is screening.
Anyone who experiences two or more of the following symptoms is encouraged to take an online questionnaire to determine if they should call 811 for further assessment.
- Fever
- New or worsening cough
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Headache
Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate, away from the public, for 14 days.
Anyone who travelled outside of the province is also required to self-isolate for two weeks.
