COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Thursday, July 9

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison gave an unscheduled briefing Thursday at noon to announcePrince Edward Islandnow has one more case of COVID-19, a young man who was a close contact of someone from an existing cluster, bringing the active number of cases on P.E.I. to six.

The man, in his 20s, is at home with mild symptoms, she said. Hehad originally tested negative but was self-isolating.

Morrison said the young man was a close contact of someone in the existing cluster of cases that emerged last weekend, after anIsland mantravelled to Nova Scotia and had contact with a friendwho had arrived in Halifax via Toronto on a flightfrom the United States.

Testing clinic for Borden-Carleton

Morrison said atesting clinic for essential workers who make frequent trips outside the Atlantic provinces for work, not only truckers, is being set up in the Borden-Carleton area, and will be available Monday.

Public health officials are also working to improve appointment scheduling at testing clinics in Charlottetown and Summerside.

Other COVID-19 stories

Nurses on P.E.I. are starting to feel the pressure of there not being enough of them to go around, says the president of the P.E.I. Nurses' Union.

The Confederation Centre of the Arts has crafted a new series of open-air concerts to offer summer entertainment that abides by COVID-19 safety guidelines.

If you're having trouble getting a facemask following the Chief Public Health Office's strengthened recommendation for them, the Rotary Club will be giving them away free Friday.

Access PEI officials say they are working hard to try to deal with an increase in demand for services at its offices.

Three of the six community schools on P.E.I. that had been planning to offer courses this fall have cancelled their programs, and organizers are still waiting for confirmation from the other three.

The union representing education support workers on P.E.I. is concerned its members are being forced to apply for CERB money they are not eligible for.

The Canadian Mental Health Association on P.E.I. is offering its suicide prevention training program again, but it is now online.

Education Minister Brad Triverswas questioned in the P.E.I. Legislature about school plans for the fall, including how school buses will work under physical distancing measures.

The opposition Liberals are calling on the province to provide increased funding to UPEI and Holland College to ensure tuition isn't increased and programs are not cut.

The mayor of Souris, P.E.I., is hearing "quite a few"reports of Quebec residents visiting places they should not, in violation of COVID-19 pandemic rules.

P.E.I. has had a total of 33COVID-19 cases, with 27 considered recovered.

Also in the news

• Some businesses on P.E.I. are struggling to keep up with the demand for outdoor sporting goods following booming sales at the start of the season as the global COVID-19 pandemic tookhold.
• The mayor of the resort municipality that includes Cavendish and surrounding areas is calling on the federal government to eliminate entrance fees to national parks this summer to attract more people and help restart the economy.
• The Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Charlottetown is filling up again now that donation pickups have resumed.

Further resources

• Here isinformation for livingwith the COVID-19 pandemic on P.E.I. including information on government relief programs, physical distancing measures, and essential health services.
• Here is achart tracking COVID-19 numbers and a timeline of COVID-19-related events on P.E.I.

More COVID-19 stories from CBC P.E.I.