P.E.I. reports two new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, active cases drop to nine

HALIFAX -

Prince Edward Island is reporting two new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, as the active number of cases in the province drops to nine.

During Tuesday's news update, Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.’s Chief Public Health Officer, said one of the cases involves a person in their 40s who is a close household contact of a previously announced case related to the West Royalty Elementary outbreak, and had already been self-isolating.

Morrison says that while there hasn’t been a new case identified at the school in over a week, the outbreak will be declared over when at least 14 days have passed ‘with no evidence of ongoing transmission’, which will be no earlier than Oct. 10.

The other new case involves an individual in their 50s who had recently travelled outside of Atlantic Canada. They are self-isolating and contact tracing is underway.

Morrison also announced one public exposure notification, at the Boston Pizza located at 700 University Avenue in Charlottetown, between 12:30 and 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25.

“Since August, 87 per cent of the cases in P.E.I. have been identified as the Delta variant,” said Dr. Heather Morrison during Tuesday’s news update.

Morrison says a total of 30 cases have been linked to the outbreak at West Royalty Elementary School; nine involving children under the age of 10, 15 involving children ages 10-19, and six adults who are close contacts of the children.

Prince Edward Island currently has nine active cases of COVID-19 and has reported 296 positive cases since the pandemic began.

As of Sept. 25, a total of 252,873 doses of vaccine have been administered. So far, 93.6 per cent of the eligible population have received at least one dose and 86.2 per cent have received two doses.

TESTING MEASURES AT POINTS OF ENTRY

Morrison also announced increased testing at P.E.I. points of entry, effective immediately.

“As additional protection for our residents and visitors of our province, we are taking steps to enhance our testing even further at our points of entry,” said Morrison on Tuesday. “Now is not the time for discretionary travel.”

As of Tuesday, everyone who enters the P.E.I. will be tested at the airport or at points of entry, regardless of vaccine status.

That includes P.E.I. residents returning to the province.

"At the Confederation Bridge, in order to facilitate the safe and smooth flow of traffic, there will be dedicated lanes for P.E.I. residents and high-sided vehicles. We ask that travellers be patient and build extra time into their travel schedule if there is a delay," said Morrison.

Effective Sept. 30, individuals who travel to Atlantic Canada who have one dose of vaccine will be required to self-isolate for eight days, with a negative test on day eight.

Those who are not fully vaccinated are required to self-isolate and be tested.

School age children who cannot be tested will be given a self-test kit at the point of entry to ensure they have a negative test prior to returning to school.

Morrison also is recommending that anyone over the age of 12 who travel to P.E.I., regardless of vaccine status, also be tested between days four of eight after arriving in the province.

P.E.I. PASSES ONLY FOR FULLY VACCINATED

Previously, passes were issued to people within Atlantic Canada who had one dose of vaccine.

“Given the high rate of fully vaccinated people in the Atlantic region, and the importance of being fully vaccinated to protect yourself and others from the Delta variant, going forward, P.E.I. passes will only be issued to individuals who demonstrate proof of being fully vaccinated plus 14 days.”

For people who already have a P.E.I. pass based on one dose of vaccine, there is no need to update their pass, but if they travel off-Island they should have a copy of their vaccine record.