26 new cases of coronavirus identified in Nova Scotia

As of Sunday, 26 new cases of novel coronavirus were identified in Nova Scotia, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 262.

According to the province, the confirmed cases so far range in age from under 10 to over 90.

Six individuals are currently in hospital while 53 individuals have now recovered and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved.

The new cases were identified on Saturday at the QEII Health Sciences Centre’s microbiology lab after 592 Nova Scotia tests were completed.

The province also noted that most of the confirmed cases have been connected to travel or a known case, but some are connected to community spread.

“This is expected and why the testing strategy continues to be adjusted,” said the province.

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Part of that adjustment is increasing lab capacity, which according to the government, will have processing at the lab move to 24/7 operations as of Monday.

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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