P.E.I. reports two more COVID-19 cases linked to school outbreak, active cases rise to record 37
Health officials in Prince Edward Island announced two additional cases of COVID-19 on Thursday night, both linked to the outbreak at a Charlottetown elementary school.
In a release issued Thursday night, P.E.I. chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison announced the two cases linked to the outbreak at West Royalty Elementary, both in children ages 10 to 19.
One of the new cases involves a student at École La-Belle-Cloche in Souris who attended school on Thursday. École La-Belle-Cloche will be closed on Friday, Sept. 17 as health officials conduct comprehensive contact tracing and the school is cleaned extensively.
The province says all schools in the Public Schools Branch (PSB) and Commission scolaire de langue français (CSLF) have moved to elevated risk enhanced public health measures which includes masking for grades four through twelve and cohorting.
“This most recent case at École La-Belle-Cloche is connected to the West Royalty Elementary School outbreak and all close contacts at École La-Belle-Cloche will be called by public health to provide isolation and testing instructions,” said Morrison in a news release.
“Public health staff will be working to identify all of the close contacts. As always, it is important that we all follow the basic public health measures, including hand hygiene, physical distancing and staying home when not feeling well and get tested if they have any symptoms of COVID-19, even mild ones.”
The province says students, teachers, and staff who are identified as close contacts will be contacted directly by public health for isolation and testing instructions. Close contacts of this case will be asked to get tested on Monday, Sept. 20 at the Charlottetown Testing Clinic (64 Park Street) between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm or at the Montague Testing Clinic (14 Rosedale Road) between 9:30 am – 2:00 pm.
All students and staff at École La-Belle-Cloche who are not identified as close contacts should monitor themselves for symptoms, and if they experience any symptoms get tested and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.
During a news update earlier Thursday afternoon, Morrison announced seven new cases, all involving close contacts of the outbreak at West Royalty Elementary.
Prince Edward Island currently has 37 active cases of COVID-19, the highest number of active cases in the province since the pandemic began, and has had a total of 270 positive cases.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.