COVID-19 case at Cape Breton Regional Hospital
SYDNEY — The Cape Breton Post has learned there is a patient at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney with COVID-19.
A source told the post the person tested positive on Saturday and as a result ICU staff were sent home to selfisolate due to possible exposure. The staff was replaced by other medical workers from different floors of the hospital to cover the rest of the shift.
Over the weekend a new case of COVID-19 was identified as being in the Eastern region.
The Nova Scotia Health Authority has confirmed there are eight medical staff from the Cape Breton Regional Hospital self-isolating as a precaution.
Carla Adams, a media spokesperson for the NSHA, couldn’t confirm whether or not there is a case of COVID19 at the hospital as they have to protect their patient’s privacy.
However, Adams did confirm the staff was told to selfisolate which means they feel they had come in contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive or potentially positive.
“When staff are identified as contacts of possible or confirmed case of COVID-19 they are advised by Occupational Health regarding isolation as per Public Health guidelines,” she said.
“This has not affected patient care.”
On Monday, the province announced one more COVID-19 death at Northwood
long-term care facility in Halifax. There have now been 48 deaths in the province due to COVID-19, with 42 of the deaths at Northwood. There was also one new case of COVID-19, now a total of 1,019 confirmed cases.
There are currently three licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors’ facilities in Nova Scotia with active cases of COVID-19. Northwood in Halifax currently has 156 residents and 18 staff with active cases. One other facility has one staff member with an active case of COVID-19 and another facility has one resident with an active case.
“COVID-19 is a terrible disease, but we all play a role in how it impacts our province,” said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, in a news release. “Maintain social distance, wash your hands, stay home as much as possible, and clean high-use surfaces.”
The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 291 Nova Scotia tests on Sunday and is operating 24-hours.
To date, Nova Scotia has 33,869 negative test results. Nine individuals are currently in hospital, three of those in ICU.
A total of 767 individuals have now recovered.