No new cases of COVID-19 on P.E.I. today but caution being urged

P.E.I. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison says there are no new cases of COVID-19 in the province as of Tuesday morning, but three cases remain active.

"These people are doing well," Morrison said, adding thatall active cases on the Island are related to travel outside the Atlantic bubble.

Over the weekend, two new cases of COVID-19 were announced in the province. Both cases involve men one in his 20s and the other in his 40s who work in unrelated non-health-care industries and recently travelled within Canada but outside the Atlantic bubble.

There have been 63 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on P.E.I., with 60 considered recovered. There have been no hospitalizations or deaths since the coronavirus pandemic began.

"Canada is in an early part of a second wave of COVID-19. We are actively monitoring other jurisdictions and we are trying to minimize any impact of a second wave in this province," Morrison said at Tuesday's briefing.

As of the latest New Brunswick update on Thanksgiving Monday, thatprovince had 76 active cases.

Many are related to an outbreak at the Manoir Notre-Dame, a Moncton special care home, with the initial source of the virus believed to be related to travel.

The Campbellton cases are all thought to be linked and officials said there is currently no community transmission in either region.

"Non-essential travel in and out of these two zones is strongly discouraged," Morrison said of the New Brunswick outbreaks. "Islanders including students and staff in Island schools who have spent time in either of these regions since last week are advised to follow the New Brunswick guidance."

The guidance includes wearing a mask outside of the home, monitoring for symptoms and visiting a drop-in clinic for a test if symptoms develop.

"The COVID-19 situation in New Brunswick is concerning on a number of fronts. It is very close to home,the spread has been rapid and there are cases in schools," Morrison said. "The situation serves as a reminder that it could happen just as easily on Prince Edward Island."

Marion Dowling, Health PEI's chief of nursing, said those needing to travel to New Brunswick for health appointments also need to follow the guidance.

"If you do have an appointment, in particular in the Moncton area, it would be advisable to call ahead to your service provider to confirm your appointment," Dowling said.

Morrison said now is not the time to be complacent and people should continue to follow public safety measures, from self-isolation to physical distancing.

"We know some people do not want to self-isolate and try to find ways to avoid it," she said. "Self-isolation and work isolation is so key to protecting your health and the health of other Islanders."

Morrison said many Islanders are wondering if masks will be made mandatory on P.E.I.; for now, it is still just strongly recommended that people wear masks when physical distancing measures are not possible.

"Masks are just one level of protection against COVID-19," she said. "Wearing a mask does not replace other health measures including physical distancing."

Morrison said border measures remain in place, including pre-approval of travel butno single factor would bring a change in policy when it comes to the Atlantic bubble.

"We want to maintain that Atlantic bubble as much as possible."

Dowling said more than 590 COVID-19 tests were done over the long weekend, mostly at drop-in testing sites around the province.

She also said the province had received the ventilators it ordered in the spring, bringing the total available to 41.

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