The backlog of surgeries due to the COVID-19 pandemic is in the thousands according to the province’s health minister.

The resumption of some medical procedures like elective surgeries can resume in regional health authorities when the province transitions into Alert Level 4 on May 11.

Health Minister John Haggie says from the point of view of surgical procedures, the backlog is quite lengthy.

Haggie says cumulatively across the province, as of the end of last week, there were slightly over 6,000 procedures outstanding due to cancellations because of COVID.

Haggie says each of the Regional Health Authorities has the exact data.