HALIFAX -- Prince Edward Island reported four new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the number of active cases on the island to 14.

Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.'s Chief Medical Officer of Health, announced the new cases during a news update on Monday.

NEW CASES

Monday's new cases involve two males in their 20s, a male in his 30s, and a female in her 20s. All were close contacts of the cases previously reported over the weekend.

Contact tracing is underway and all close contacts of confirmed cases will be tested and required to self-isolate for 14 days, despite their test results.

“At this point the source of the outbreak is not known and is still under investigation," said Morrison, who added that none of Monday's new cases had recently travelled outside of the province.

Seven new cases were identified over the weekend, all linked to fast-food restaurants in Charlottetown.

Four cases were announced on Sunday involving three women in their 20s and one woman in her 30s.

Those cases were linked to the three cases identified on Saturday, which involved three women in their 20s who were employees at the Wendy's and A&W restaurants on University Avenue in Charlottetown.

P.E.I. has seen 61,484 negative test results and 84 total cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic was declared in March. With 70 cases now considered recovered, there are 14 active cases in the province. There have been no deaths and no one is in hospital as a result of COVID-19.

'CIRCUIT BREAKER' LOCKDOWN

Effective Monday, P.E.I. has entered a two-week lockdown after several new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported over the weekend.

Premier Dennis King described the new measures as a "circuit breaker."

"The circuit breaker is necessary for us to help stop the spread of COVID in our province," King said during a news update on Monday. "It certainly wasn't the decision that we wanted to make but it was a decision that we needed to make and I really appreciate the response from Islanders."

The new health protocols will remain in place until at least Dec. 21, and include closing all dining rooms in restaurants, fitness facilities, bingo halls and libraries. Organized gatherings will be limited to no more than 10 people, and retail stores must limit capacity to 50 per cent.

Four island high schools -- Charlottetown Rural, Colonel Gray, Bluefield and École François-Buote -- have moved to online learning this week. All P.E.I. school sports and extra-curricular activities have been temporarily suspended.

Hospitals and care facilities across the island will be limiting their visitors as of Monday. Only one designated ‘partner in care’ will be allowed to visit patients and residents at hospitals, long-term care facilities or any other care facilities on the island.

Patients and residents of hospitals, long-term care facilities, or any other care facilities may designate one ‘partner in care’, a family member of friend who helps provide additional care for a patient or resident.

No other visitors will be allowed, except for compassionate circumstances, such as when a patient is nearing the end of life, when special permission may be granted by Health P.E.I.

“These restrictions are difficult for our patients and their families, but they are very important during these next two weeks, as we work urgently to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our community and to any of our health care services,” said Marion Dowling, co-leader of Health P.E.I.’s COVID-19 Joint Response Team in an emailed statement.

INCREASED TESTING CAPACITY

Health P.E.I. also announced Monday that it will be expanding hours at its testing clinic in Charlottetown. The testing clinic on Park St. will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Health P.E.I. is asking any Islanders between the age of 20 and 29 to be tested for COVID-19, even if they have no symptoms.

“Given the demographic of the current outbreak, it’s important that we increase testing of the individuals aged 20 to 29, to tell us if COVID-19 is circulating in this population that might otherwise go undetected,” said Morrison on Monday.

“We expect there will be a significant increase in testing this week, especially larger groups of contacts and people aged 20-29 in the Greater Charlottetown area,” said Dowling in the release. “Our staff are working hard to provide the tests and results. Please be kind and patient during this time.”

Anyone in that age group who is not symptomatic does not need to self-isolate after getting tested and can return to work or school as they await their results.

Anyone of any age group who has symptoms should get tested immediately and self-isolate until they receive their results.

A testing clinic is opening Monday in Stratford, and hours of operation are also being extended for testing clinics in Summerside, O'Leary and Montague.

The release says additional sites and further increases in testing will be evaluated and implemented as necessary.