With no new COVID-19 cases being reported today, the province is finished with the reconciliation of their data.
The long-term care and residential homes in the province are now free of infections so, as of June 15th, many will begin to allow visitors, outside only, and under strict rules.
Chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang says these include such things as maintaining social distancing, a maximum of two people who have passed screening, and being monitored by staff.
“There’s more risk of the virus spreading where people live together and in long-term care and in some of our Department of Community Services homes, there are people with underlying health conditions that puts them at significantly increased risk, that is why we need to proceed very slowly and carefully.”
The reconciliation has changed several of the numbers that have been reported previously.
Dr. Strang says people tested in one area who actually reside in another are now listed in the zone they live in.
“Our total case count has actually increased by one additional case and that reflects a Nova Scotian who tested positive for COVID-19 but that individual doesn’t currently live in the province and wasn’t tested here, so that brings the total number of confirmed cases to a thousand and sixty-one.”
There have also been 46,668 negative COVID-19 results, 62 deaths, and the category of “recovered” is now being listed as “resolved”, which is now 994.
Dr. Strang says Public Health is also already preparing for the expected second wave.
“If we start to see a resurgence, we have the surveillance and plan that we need to continue, that we can detect any increase early on, and then, if necessary, we can take a much more focused and targeted approach, whether it’s based on a limited geographic area or on one type of business.”
He says all the protocols that have been put in place will remain in effect and they will plan for every possibility, including another shutdown, if necessary.
