HALIFAX, N.S. —

Nova Scotia has 27 new COVID-19 cases, officials announced on Monday.

There were no new deaths reported.

The cases, which were identified Sunday, bring the total in the province to 900, according to the news release.

The province did not hold an official briefing with Premier Stephen McNeil and Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, on Monday, instead including quotes from both in the news release.

“We will get through this extraordinarily difficult time by pulling together and supporting each another,” McNeil said in the release. “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.”

There have been 24 deaths related to COVID-19 in Nova Scotia to date.

There have been 26,231 negative test results in the province, the release said. Of the confirmed cases, 509 have recovered and are considered resolved. Cases have been identified in all parts of the province.

Twelve people are hospitalized with three of those in ICU.

The QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab completed 645 Nova Scotia tests on Sunday and is operating 24 hours a day, the release said.

“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,” Strang said in the release.

“If you have two of these symptoms — fever, new or worsening cough, sore throat, runny nose or headache — please visit the 811 website. If you do not have internet access then please call 811.”

According to the most recent data, 10 licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors’ facilities in Nova Scotia had confirmed cases of COVID-19, involving 198 residents and 95 staff.

Public health is working to identify and test people who may have come in close contact with the confirmed cases. Those individuals who have been confirmed are being directed to self-isolate at home, away from the public, for 14 days.

Anyone who has traveled outside Nova Scotia must self-isolate for 14 days but as there is now confirmed community spread, travel is not a requirement for testing.

The release stresses the importance of strict adherence to public health orders and directives to maintain a physical distance of two metres from others, limit essential gatherings to no more than five people and stay home as much as possible. Practising good hygiene and hand washing continues to be a priority.

Over the weekend, Halifax Regional Police issued 12 tickets for violations of the Health Protection Act and Emergency Management Act, bringing the total to 151 since the province declared a state of emergency, according to a police news release.

“The majority of these were in relation to being in prohibited areas under the Emergency Management Act,” the HRP release said. “Since the declaration of the state of emergency, HRP has responded to a total of 1,402 COVID-19 related calls.”