In a bid to subdue a small but sudden spike in COVID-19 cases, Nova Scotia has introduced strict new rules for people arriving in the province from outside the Atlantic region.

With 15 new cases reported in less than a week, Premier Stephen McNeil announced Monday that travellers from outside the region must isolate for 14 days on their own, instead of with family or friends.

“We are very concerned by how quickly these cases are creeping up and the potential exposure that might exist,” McNeil told a news conference in Halifax. “We have been there and we don’t want to go back. That’s why we need to crack down quickly but carefully.”

Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health for Nova Scotia, said the province doesn’t plan to go back into lockdown unless it’s “absolutely necessary” but will address outbreaks on a case-by-case basis.

“This time around . . . our plan is to, if at all possible, take a much more targeted approach based on geography, various sectors and high-risk populations,” Strang said. “Our goal is to contain COVID, not to have zero cases, but to not have wide community spread.”

Source: Halifax Today