HALIFAX —
Nova Scotia has announced 27 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the province to 900.

The province didn’t report any additional deaths on Monday. To date, there have been 24 deaths related to COVID-19 in Nova Scotia.

“We will get through this extraordinarily difficult time by pulling together and supporting each another,” said Premier Stephen McNeil in a statement.

“Please continue to reach out to your loved ones, be there for those who are grieving or having a difficult time and know that we will come through this.”

The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 645 tests on Sunday and is operating 24 hours a day.

To date, Nova Scotia has 26,231 negative test results.

“Aggressive and accessible testing remains a critical part of Nova Scotia’s fight against COVID-19. We need to identify and treat as many cases as we can,” said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health.

The province will not be holding a news conference on Monday.

Cases at long-term care homes

As of Sunday, 10 long-term care homes in Nova Scotia had confirmed case of COVID-19, involving 198 residents and 95 staff members.

Most of those cases are at the Northwood facility in Halifax. Eighteen of the province’s 24 COVID-19 deaths have also been at Northwood.

Northwood reported one new case in a resident on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases at the facility to 250. Of the 250 cases, 179 involve residents and 71 cases involve staff members.

Northwood says all long-term care residents at its Halifax facility are being regularly tested for COVID-19, whether or not they have symptoms.

“Please be assured that if your loved one tests positive for COVID-19 the family will be contacted by a member of our staff to discuss the test result and the care plan,” said Northwood in a statement on its website.

What we know about the confirmed cases

The cases range in age from under 10 to over 90.

Sixty-one per cent of cases are female and 39 per cent are male.

Twelve people are currently in hospital. Three patients are in intensive care units.

The province says 509 people have now recovered from the virus and their cases are considered resolved.

There are cases across the province, but most cases have been confirmed in the central zone, which contains the Halifax Regional Municipality.

More information is available in an online map, which breaks down the cases according to the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s four zones:

• Western zone: 54 cases
• Central zone: 757 cases
• Northern zone: 39 cases
• Eastern zone: 50 cases

Most cases in Nova Scotia have been connected to travel or a known case, but there is community spread. As a result, travel has been removed as a requirement for COVID-19 testing.

The province has also expanded the list of symptoms for which it is screening.

Anyone with two or more of the following symptoms is asked to take an online questionnaire to determine if they need to call 811 for further assessment:

• Fever
• New or worsening cough
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Headache

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 is required to self-isolate at home, away from the public, for 14 days. Public health is working to identify and test people who may have come in close contact with the confirmed cases.

Anyone who has travelled outside Nova Scotia must also self-isolate for 14 days.

The provincial state of emergency, which was first declared on March 22, has been extended to May 3.