39 long-term care facilities in N.S. dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks
That's double the number of facilities that had outbreaks in January
Nova Scotia's minister for seniors and long-term care says there are 39 long-term care facilities in the province dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks — double the number of facilities that had outbreaks in January.
"I know that the staff themselves are being very diligent because they're doing their PCR tests, they're doing the rapid tests," Barbara Adams said Wednesday.
"And so I'm always concerned, but I'm also very appreciative of the fact that they are doing the PCR tests and they're testing the staff as often as they are."
According to Public Health, an outbreak is defined as when there are two or more lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in staff and/or residents. In an outbreak, there would be an epidemiological link between the cases and at least one case could have acquired the infection in the facility.
In January, 50 nursing homes and two residential care facilities were dealing with COVID-related absences or infections. Of those 52 facilities, only 18 were classified as having an outbreak.
Adams said more than a dozen facilities are closed to new admissions because of staff shortages, partially due to COVID-19 infections.
The province is bringing in help from Ontario to fill in some of the gaps due to the shortages.
It will also start rolling out booster doses to residents in long-term care facilities starting next week.
Health Minister Michelle Thompson said Nova Scotia does not yet have the modelling for how many intensive care or hospital beds will be needed in the weeks to come as cases rise.
"Right now we're relying on the epidemiology reports that we get on a weekly basis and the modelling will unfold," Thompson said.
"There are a number of different modelling possibilities right now and we want to make sure that we're on the right trajectory, and we need a little bit more information in order to release something that is accurate."
With files from Michael Gorman