No active cases of COVID-19 in P.E.I., province easing restrictions further

All of P.E.I.'s 27 confirmed cases of COVID-19 are now considered recovered, said Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison.

She said 199 tests have come back negative since Wednesday. Nearly 3,800 tests have been done.

"We are in such a fortunate position here in P.E.I.," she said, adding there is no evidence of active COVID-19 infection on the Island.

"We remain committed to reevaluating [our plan to ease back restrictions]and updating it and really the first of those updates will happen today."

Members of a household can now gather indoors with up to five other people, and outdoors with up to 10 other people.

Morrison said it is important to maintain physical distancing as much as possible.

Islanders can also now consider expanding their immediate household to reconnect with someone close "you may need to hug or who may need a hug," she said.

"In doing so, everyone should consider the risks," she cautioned."Keep it exclusive."

Morrison used the example of her sister, who she considers an important support for her family, as someone who she could expand her household to include.

She made clear this change does not mean people should be shaking hands or hugging all their neighbours and friends.

Previous precautions, including self-isolation for anyone who has travelled in the past two weeks, staying home when you're sick, physical distancing, handwashing and covering a cough remain in place, Morrison said.

Most Islanders are now only seeing about 30-40 per cent of their usual network of family and friends, she said, and while she wants to increase that number, going too fast increases the risk of an outbreak.

Morrison also asked Islanders to consider keeping a log of anyone they come into contact with, to help with contact tracing should they get sick.

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