No new COVID-19 cases in P.E.I. after 2,054 tests in 5 days

The P.E.I. government says there have still been no new positive COVID-19 tests among Queen Elizabeth Hospital patients and staff tested this week.

The update came late Friday in a news release from Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison.

The lab at the Charlottetown hospital analyzed 2,054 tests between Sunday and Thursday of this week, after two cases linked to the QEH were identified.

"There were 613 QEH staff members and 145 Island EMS staff tested and all results are negative," the release said. "Out of an abundance of caution, a large number of staff were tested."

The two cases were a medical worker at the emergency department, a man in his 40s, and a woman in her 80s who came into contact with him when she sought treatment.

100 patients contacted for tests

Morrison's release said her office contacted 100 other patients who had encountered the health-care worker.Of those, 94 were tested and were clear of coronavirus and 6 out-of-province patients "were contacted and advised to be tested."

Some of those tested this week were told they would need a second test because they might not have developed detectable levels of coronavirus in their systems by the time the first swab was taken.

Morrison's release said retesting is underway for 61 patients and 30 staff and should be done by Sunday.

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