A paramedic walks around an ambulance at Northwood Manor, in Halifax, on May 1, 2020.Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press
An external review of a Halifax long-term care home hit hard by COVID-19 says staffing problems and shared rooms contributed to the outbreak that killed 53 people.
The review, commissioned by the provincial government and released today, says community transmission of COVID-19 and inconsistent cleaning were added factors that led to the outbreak at the Northwood long-term care facility.
Nova Scotia infectious disease consultant Dr. Chris Lata and former British Columbia associate deputy minister of health Dr. Lynn Stevenson led the review and recommend the facility improve infection prevention and control.
The experts also recommend the province and the long-term care sector review and update pandemic plans, create a mobile infection prevention and control resource to support facilities facing outbreaks, and hire more people to work in the centres.
A broader review on the long-term care sector by the Health Department says immediate action should be taken to ensure rooms at long-term care facilities house no more than two residents.
Nova Scotia has seen 65 total deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.
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