Nova Scotia announced that there’s no change in Nova Scotia’s border policy as New Brunswick reported increased cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
But in light of New Brunswick’s Edmundston region moving back to the red alert level of COVID-19 recovery after 30 new COVID-19 case were reported, Nova Scotia released a statement to the media asking Nova Scotians to avoid non-essential travel to the city of Edmundston and surrounding communities.
“People coming from New Brunswick are not required to isolate in Nova Scotia,” the province said in a statement.
Nova Scotia Premier Ian Rankin said the “dynamic situation” in New Brunswick is one the province is watching closely.
“Once we heard late this afternoon that New Brunswick was moving the city of Edmundston and surrounding areas into their red zone, we took action.”
Premier Rankin said he spoke with Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, late Thursday afternoon. Of added concern is that New Brunswick has confirmed the B.1.1.7, the variant first reported in the U.K., in the Edmundston area.
New Brunswick top doctor, Dr. Jennifer Russell said at a COVID-19 briefing Thursday that lab results have confirmed that the U.K. variant is responsible for 62 per cent of the cases in the Edmundston region.
“It is concerning to see the rise in cases in New Brunswick, but at this time it is concentrated only in the northwestern area of the province,” said Strang.
“It is important that Nova Scotians avoid travel to that area unless absolutely necessary.”
The province said that Dr. Strang is in close contact with his New Brunswick counterparts and is continuing to monitor the situation.