The number of exemption requests to the travel ban has nearly tripled since Wednesday evening, according to the Health Minister.

During Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing, Health Minister John Haggie said there were some 500 exemption requests. As of 9:00 a.m. Thursday, he says there were 1,336.

He says the majority of those requests fall into categories of people re-locating to the province, or caregiver requests for people coming home to support loved ones with illness and are in need of some help.

Haggie says they are working through those, and are ramping up to make sure they’re done on a priority basis.

However, the Health Minister says unfortunately with some of the workload and situations that have arisen, tempers have become a bit short.

Haggie says some of his staff has felt somewhat challenged by that. He says they appreciate the stress everyone is under, and they’re doing their best to meet that.

He says sometimes it’s difficult in these times to behave the way one would when they are not stressed.