P.E.I. reports three new COVID-19 cases Tuesday; will introduce vaccine passport on Oct. 5
Prince Edward Island is reporting three new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, as the active number of cases in the province rises to 47.
During Tuesday's news update, Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.’s Chief Public Health Officer, confirmed that the three new cases all involved close contacts of previously reported cases, with two involving 'household close contacts' related to the outbreak at West Royalty Elementary School.
Two of the new cases involve individuals in their 30s, and one involves a person in their 20s. Contact tracing has been completed and they are self-isolating.
“In the last week, 38 cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in P.E.I., our highest weekly count to date, and 2.4 times our previous weekly high of 16 cases," said Morrison during Tuesday’s news update.
Morrison says a total of 29 cases have been linked to the outbreak at West Royalty Elementary School; 24 involving children, and five involving ‘adult, household contacts of the children’.
"The outbreak will be declared over at least 14 days after the last case associated with the outbreak was diagnosed," says Morrison.
Prince Edward Island currently has 47 active cases of COVID-19 and 287 positive cases since the pandemic began.
Morrison says all 54 cases reported in September have been identified as the Delta variant.
As of Sept. 18, a total of 250,223 doses of vaccine have been administered. So far, 92.8 per cent of the eligible population have received at least one dose and 85.1 per cent have received two doses.
Morrison says there are just under 40,000 P.E.I. residents who are not fully vaccinated, including 19,000 children under the age of 12 who are not eligible.
“We’re in a much better situation today than we were at this time last week,” said P.E.I. Premier Dennis King. “While we have 47 active cases in the province, we’re confident that the West Royalty School outbreak has been contained.”
P.E.I. VAX-PASS TO TAKE EFFECT OCT. 5
During Tuesday’s news update, P.E.I. Premier Dennis King announced P.E.I.’s version of a vaccine passport is expected to go into effect on Oct. 5.
“We have been working with our provincial neighbours in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick on a proof of vaccine credential, which we will refer to as a ‘P.E.I. Vax-Pass’,” said King during Tuesday’s news update. “The Vax-Pass program will be time-limited and will lift when the risk of outbreak is reduced.”
King said the Vax-Pass will be required at ‘essentially any place where large gatherings will occur’, including indoor and outdoor gatherings, restaurants, sporting events, concerts, wedding and funeral receptions.
It will not be required at worship or religious ceremonies, wedding and funeral ceremonies, or retail stores, banks or access to healthcare services.
King says the program will initially involve showing a paper proof of vaccination and will progress to a QR code later in October.
Exemptions will be granted to individuals who are not eligible to be vaccinated or have a medical exemption.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'