P.E.I. reports two new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, active cases drop to nine
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.