The number of COVID-19 cases at a Halifax long-term care facility continues to climb, reaching a new high on Saturday.
Northwood, the company that operates Northwood Manor, says 80 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Saturday morning.
That’s an increase of 29 since Friday.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia reports 3 deaths at Northwood Manor in Halifax due to COVID-19
Nine more Northwood staff have tested positive as of Saturday, bringing the total number of staff who have COVID-19 to 35.
In total, the facility now has 115 cases among staff and residents.
As of Wednesday, Northwood Manor had 485 residents spread across two buildings.
But three people at the facility died on Friday, making it the single deadliest day since the state of emergency was declared in Nova Scotia.
“They passed away peacefully at the Northwood Halifax Campus,” the company said in a statement.
“We offer our sincerest condolences to the residents’ families and friends.”
The three deaths move the total number of COVID-19 related deaths to seven as of Friday.
The four people who have previously died include a woman in her 80s in Cape Breton, a woman in her 70s in Cape Breton, a woman in her 90s in Cape Breton and a man in his 80s in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
All four had underlying medical conditions.
No details were provided on the three deaths announced Saturday.
Due to the lag in provincial testing data, it’s hard to quantify what Northwood represents out of Nova Scotia’s provincial total.
Nova Scotians will get a better idea when the provincial government releases its daily figures on Sunday.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia long-term care facilities adapting to deal with COVID-19
Those figures are expected to be released before premier Stephen McNeil and Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, provide a provincial update at 3 p.m. AT.
As of Saturday, the province has recorded an additional 43 new cases of COVID-19 in the province, bringing the total to 649.
The province says 184 people have recovered from COVID-19.
Eleven patients remain in hospital, with five in intensive care.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
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