Nova Scotia reports 15 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday
The province reported 15 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. There are 12 new cases in Central Zone. Seven of the cases are close contacts of previously reported cases. Three are related to travel and two are under investigation. Three new cases are in Eastern Zone. Two of the cases are close contacts of previously reported cases and one is related to travel. Ten people are hospitalized with the virus, including six in intensive care. There are now 147 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. Premier Iain Rankin and Dr. Robert Strang will provide a COVID-19 update today (Friday, June 11), at 1 p.m.
With the province’s health-care system returning to capacity, Nova Scotia Health is turning some attention to the backlog left as the pandemic‘s third wave has forced the cancellation of some 2,600 surgeries. Nova Scotia Health says action has been taken on 43 per cent of cancelled surgeries.
Nova Scotia Teachers Union head questions school re-openings after COVID-19 cases
Paul Wozney, President of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union
The president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union says he’s puzzled by last week’s decision to reopen schools in the Halifax area considering five have since had to close because of COVID-19 cases. In an interview Thursday, Paul Wozney said the closures have disrupted high school students in particular, after single cases of novel coronavirus forced the closures of Halifax West High School and Citadel High School. “It was a head scratcher,” Wozney said of the school reopening June 3 when limited community spread was still identified in the Halifax area. “Our real concern was, ‘Are we exposing schools to risk?’ ” Health officials reporting 15 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday. They then added a late-reported case, which was connected to Citadel High School, the second case reported there in two days. Schools were opened across the province last week as part of the first phase of the government’s five-step reopening plan. Premier Iain Rankin had initially said last month that schools would remain closed for the rest of the year, but less than two weeks later, on May 31, he announced the reopening. The province’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Robert Strang, said on Monday that he “fully expected” new cases in schools because there is still virus activity in the Halifax area. But Strang said the benefits of a return to in-person learning for students far outweighed the “low risk” based on current infection rates. (The Canadian Press)
Jump at the pumps in N.S.
An increase at the pumps in Nova Scotia overnight. Regular self-serve gas is now $1.31 per litre in the local area today after an increase of 1.5 cents. The price of diesel went up 2.4 cents per litre to $1.219.
Rent control provision quietly softened by N.S. Liberals two days after announcement
Gary Burrill, leader of the opposition NDP
Nova Scotia’s N-D-P leader says the Liberal government was “sneaky” in its approach to weakening its rent control law late last year. The province publicly announced a two per cent cap on annual rent creases for all tenants last November 25th, but two days later quietly brought in a change that meant it applied just to existing tenants. The NDP says that was a major shift, as the effect was to encourage building owners to evict existing tenants and bring in new ones at rents above the capped increase. Service Nova Scotia says the change was made to better match the intent of the regulation to protect existing tenants. (With files from the Canadian Press)
Lobster Carnival to Adapt for 2021
Following the announcement in late April that there would not be a traditional Pictou Lobster Carnival this year, the committee immediately began working on a Plan B. Organizers were seeking options to still present all the artists and bands, and stage a modified/safe event. Committee members say the deCoste Centre stepped forward to help and now the Lobster Carnival is announcing that they’re still presenting all of the original entertainment they had booked for this year’s event, plus some additional surprises. 18 bands will be presented at the deCoste, grouped into seven mainstage shows and two after-show events outside under the deCoste’s tent-covered deck. At least five bands will be presented at free concerts, at locations to be determined, based on COVID regulations. You can see the Entertainment Line Up on the Pictou Lobster Carnival’s Facebook page.
First slate of winners from the 2021 East Coast Music Awards announced
Neon Dreams, Classified, Catherine MacLellan, Les Hay Babies, and Beòlach are among the initial winners of the 2021 East Coast Music Awards. The awards were announced Thursday evening as part of a show livestreamed on the ECMA’s social media platforms that included live performances and a special tribute to Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, the late Rita MacNeil. Among the first slate of awards, Halifax’s Neon Dreams took home album of the year honours for “The Happiness Of Tomorrow.” The fan’s choice entertainer of the year is Cape Breton’s Beòlach, while “In Full Bloom” by the P.E.I. band Sorrey is the pop recording of the year. Songwriter of the year honours went to Catherine MacLellan, also from Prince Edward Island. The remaining ECMA Awards will be handed out Sunday during a special virtual show hosted by Heather Rankin. Next year’s ECMA awards will be held in Fredericton — returning to the New Brunswick capital for the first time since 2008. (The Canadian Press)
