Eight more deaths reported at Northwood

The COVID-19 toll continued to climb at Northwood in Halifax, with eight more reported deaths at the long-term care facility over the weekend.

Two residents died from the virus, the Health Department reported on Saturday. Six more deaths were reported on Sunday.

Thirty-one of the province's 37 deaths related to COVID-19 have been at Northwood.

Janet Simm, chief executive officer of Northwood, expressed her team's grief in a video posted on the Northwood website Saturday.

“They're like our family. We're all in mourning,” Simm said.

“Our staff are so sad, but continue to do their job because they know that the individuals who live with us need us.”

In a news release issued Sunday, Dr. Robert Strang said the province is continuing to work with its partners to protect residents and staff at Northwood.

As of Friday, 10 licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors' facilities in Nova Scotia had cases of

COVID-19, involving 239 residents — an increase of two from yesterday — and 109 staff, an increase of four. There was no change in the numbers on Saturday.

It's believed the only active cases at Nova Scotia nursing homes are at Northwood.

Sixteen Northwood residents are at a recovery unit that's been set up in a nearby hotel.

Simm said the nursing home is looking at developing its own recovery unit “as the numbers recovered continue to grow.”

But overall, the province's spread of the virus appears to be slowing down as new cases remained in the single digits on Saturday and Sunday.

Out of 1,600 tests completed at the QEII Health Sciences Centre's microbiology lab, four new positive cases were identified Friday — among the lowest Nova Scotia has recorded during the pandemic — and eight new cases were identified Saturday.

Recoveries also outweighed new cases on the weekend, with 19 people reported to have recovered from COVID-19 on Saturday and 15 on Sunday.

To date, Nova Scotia has 29,945 negative test results, 971 confirmed cases and 37 deaths.

Six people are currently in hospital, with three in intensive care.

TIM KROCHAK • THE CHRONICLE HERALD Workers in full personal protective equipment are seen removing a waste bin from a residence at the Northwood long-term care facility in Halifax.