Nova Scotia reports 5 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday

Nova Scotia reported five new cases of COVID-19 Thursday and four recoveries.

The province now has 60 active cases and no one is in hospital due tothe virus.

Three of the new cases are in the central zone and two of those are connected to older cases; one remains under investigation.

One case is in the western zone and is under investigation. The fifth case is in the northern zone and related to travel.

Nova Scotia's heath authority did 3,792 COVID-19 tests Wednesday.

Phase 5 threshold

Nova Scotia is scheduled to enter Phase 5 the final phaseof its reopening plan on Sept.15, providing75 per cent of the population has received two doses of a vaccine.

Speaking after Thursday's cabinet meeting in Halifax, Premier Tim Houston said he was "very firm" about holding to that 75 per cent requirement.

"From all my discussions with Public Health andDr.[Robert]Strang, if that's not met, we don't start Phase 5until it is," Houston said.

The province will continue to provide education about the vaccines and make vaccination clinics available, he said.

Houston said the implementation of vaccination policies by private businesses and education institutions should lead to an increase in the number of people vaccinated.

Masks in schools

In response to a question about mask mandates in schools, Education Minister Becky Druhansaid her department has been taking direction from Public Health.

Druhan said the departmenthasalso been working with a pediatric advisory committee to ensure the health and well-being of children is taken into consideration.

"We're very confident in the plans that we currently have in place and will continue to adjust and adapt as needed and as epidemiology changes," she said following the cabinet meeting.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• New Brunswickreported 11new cases Wednesday and 127 active cases. The province has one patient in the ICUdue to COVID-19.
• Prince Edward Islandreported three new cases Tuesday. The province haseightactive cases. P.E.I. also announced six new exposure sites Thursday related to a visitor who later tested positive for the disease.
• Newfoundland and Labradorreported eightnew casesWednesday. There are 27active cases in the province.