12 Nova Scotia long-term care homes experiencing COVID outbreaks

There are 12 active outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term care homes in the province, according to the Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care.

They come at a time when COVID cases and hospitalizations have increased and deaths have decreased compared to September.

In October, all 27 reported deaths were people 70 or older, and 12 of them were living in a long-term care facility.

The department said a long-term care facility is considered to have an outbreak when there are two or more connected cases reported. 

Department spokesperson Khalehla Perrault declined an interview request and wouldn't say where the outbreaks are, citing privacy concerns.

Perrault would not say how many cases have been reported at each facility, and how long each outbreak has been ongoing. 

This is despite the province regularly releasing COVID data to the public for most of the pandemic, including information on which long-term care homes were experiencing outbreaks. 

Taigh Na Mara long-term care home

Earlier this week, a family member of a resident at Taigh Na Mara, a long-term care home in Glace Bay, contacted CBC News with concerns about an outbreak at the facility. 

Nova Scotia Health confirmed on Wednesday that a COVID outbreak was declared in one wing of Taigh Na Mara over the weekend, with 21 of the 32 residents testing positive. 

Spokesperson Krista Keough also said 10 of the facility's staff members were off work, either from COVID or other health-related issues. 

Keough said for the health and safety of residents and staff, all group activities are on pause.

When CBC went back to Nova Scotia Health on Thursday to ask the locations of the other 11 active outbreaks, Keough would not say, and passed the request to the Department of Health and Wellness. The department had not responded by publication time.