Four more die in nursing homes

Four more people have died from the COVID-19 virus in Nova Scotia nursing homes.

The deaths include three residents of Northwood Manor in Halifax and one resident of Harbourstone Enhanced Care in Sydney, the Nova Scotia Health Department reported Thursday.

"It saddens us to report that a resident from the Fishermen's Cove neighbourhood at Harbourstone Enhanced Care has passed away," said an update on the Shannex-owned Harbourstone website. "This resident had tested positive last week and was being cared for in our designated care/cohorting area at Harbourstone.

"Our teams continue to monitor and test additional residents in all our communities as needed. We have no additional resident cases to report and the two previously reported confirmed positive residents living with us at this time are being cared for by dedicated team members in our designated care/cohorting areas."

It's the second COVID-19 related death that Harbourstone has reported.

The latest deaths bring the Northwood total to 11 out of a total of 16 in Nova Scotia.

As of Wednesday, there were 10 licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors' facilities in Nova Scotia with cases of COVID-19, involving 158 residents and 79 staff, the Health Department said.

That's an increase of 10 residents and 14 staff from yesterday, most of which are at Northwood.

"Our hearts ache for those who have lost a loved one to COVID-19. All Nova Scotians send their support and condolences to the families and friends of those who have passed," said Premier Stephen Mcneil in the release.

"The entire health-care system has rallied around Northwood and we continue to provide support and guidance to all long-term care homes to address this virus."

There were a total of 55 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Nova Scotia, which is the highest daily total reported so far during the pandemic. The number of recovered COVID cases has increased to 358. That's up 27 cases from yesterday.

In a COVID-19 update Thursday afternoon, Northwood reported 22 new cases at the Halifax campus, including eight residents and 14 staff.

“We have been in touch with families and loved ones to share our sympathies and offer our support during this truly heartbreaking time,” Northwood said on its website.

“Our thoughts are with them and we will continue to ensure we are doing everything we can to help.”

Northwood said three residents are recovering at a nearby hotel that has been turned into a recovery unit and an unspecified number of residents are expected to be taken there over the weekend.

“Today, eight residents who have tested COVID-19 positive will be moved to private rooms within one of our COVID-19 units,” the update said.

All long-term care residents are being tested for COVID19, whether they have symptoms or not.

Northwood president and CEO Janet Simm and Josie

Ryan, the executive director of long-term care, will hold a virtual news conference Friday at 1 p.m. to address its pandemic response. Vickie Sullivan, executive director of operations with the Nova Scotia Health Authority, will also attend.

About 40 nurses from the Nova Scotia Health Authority have been seconded to Northwood to help staff deal with the outbreak. The nurses have told their union, the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, that they don't have enough personal protective equipment to do their job and they don't feel safe at Northwood.

At a news conference Thursday with the premier, Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, reiterated his belief that appropriate steps are being taken at the facility to protect health-care workers and residents.

He said about 140 residents have tested positive but "the vast majority" are doing well.

The QEII Health Sciences Centre's microbiology lab completed 921 Nova Scotia tests on Wednesday for a total of 23,731 tests. Nova Scotia has conducted more COVID19 tests per capita than any other province.

Strang said it will be a few more weeks before Nova Scotia begins considering lifting social distancing restrictions and closures. He said the first draft of a plan will be presented to the premier next week and when they're comfortable with that plan, they'll share it with Nova Scotians.

“I know that as the days go on and the weather gets nicer, the restrictions we're all under begin to weigh on us more and more,” he said. “Everyone in public health … we're thinking about how restrictions can be lifted and that discussion is very active here with myself and my colleagues. …

“But Nova Scotians do need to understand this process will necessarily be slow and deliberate, that we need to find the balance between starting to open restrictions, giving people more freedoms and allowing the economy to begin working again, but also ensuring that we don't do that too much or too quickly and allowing COVID-19 to gain a more aggressive foothold in our province.”