The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
NDP calls for long-term-care inquiry
Three deaths related to COVID-19 occurred at the Northwood long-term care home in Halifax on Wednesday.
Nova Scotia has reported a total of 44 COVID-19 deaths, 38 of which have occurred at Northwood.
The province also reported nine new cases of the disease in its Thursday news release.
"Losing a loved one is never easy and the restrictions around COVID-19 make it difficult for families to come together to grieve," Premier Stephen Mcneil said.
"My heart goes out to the families who are mourning the loss of their loved one today."
As of Thursday, Nova Scotia has 1,007 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The QEII Health Sciences Centre's microbiology lab, operating 24 hours a day, completed 875 Nova Scotia tests Wednesday.
There are 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 44 staff with active cases. Two other facilities each have one staff member with an active case of COVID-19.
"We're doing everything we can to bring the situation at Northwood under control," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health. "Our No. 1 concern in responding to this unprecedented public health emergency has always been, and continues to be, the safety and well-being of everyone."
Four other COVID-19 deaths have occurred at other long-term care facilities in the province, prompting the New Democratic Party to call for the Mcneil government to address “serious and longstanding systemic issues in long-term care.”
“COVID-19 is shining a light on where we must do better as a province,” NDP Leader Gary Burrill said in a release Thursday. “For years, front-line workers, residents, family members, health experts and administrators have raised concerns about systemic issues within long-term care. Prior to COVID-19, there were legitimate concerns about staff shortages, insufficient staffing levels, lack of long-term care spaces, and outdated facilities. Now, everyone can see that we must come at these issues with the urgency they deserve.”
Burrill says the Liberal government has not built any new long-term care beds since taking office in 2013. Under the Liberal government, longterm care facilities have also faced funding cuts, and several facilities have been denied necessary upgrades due to budget constraints.
Long-term care facilities are on the front line of the current COVID-19 outbreak, particularly the Northwood facility in Halifax, he said.
The NDP leader said once the current outbreak of COVID-19 is contained, a public inquiry into the outbreak at Northwood should be undertaken to improve the understanding of what changes are necessary in longterm care. Burrill said the inquiry could be led by the existing Minister's Expert Advisory Panel on Long Term Care.
“Public health officials, administrators, and frontline staff are doing their best in responding to the pandemic,” said Burrill. “At the same time, residents of our long-term care facilities have been significantly affected by COVID-19; and we need to take stock of the situation and ensure we support everyone involved now and into the future.”
Mcneil said Wednesday his government will continue to look at the long-term care sector across the province, putting the appropriate size of facilities and other issues under a microscope.
“All of those questions will be asked as we go forward,” Mcneil said. “We're in the middle of a pandemic. We should let public health continue to do the work.
“We continue to focus on the virus and chasing the virus from here. It would be highly inappropriate in any form, in my view, to have people focus on anything else but this virus so that we can eradicate it and get it out of our province and start rebuilding our economy.”
The province asks that anyone who has two or more symptoms that include fever, new or worsening cough, sore throat, running nose or headache to visit https://811. novascotia.ca to determine if a further 811 call for additional assessment is warranted.
To date, Nova Scotia has 32,289 negative test results, 1,007 positive results and 44 deaths. Confirmed cases range in age from under 10 to over 90. Five individuals are currently in hospital, two of those in ICU, and 708 people have now recovered and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved.
Cases have been identified in all parts of the province. A map and graphic presentation of the case data is available at https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/data .