P.E.I. chief public health officer expects rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations soon

P.E.I. chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison says she soon expects to see a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the province.

In Tuesday's afternoon news briefing, Morrison continued to stress the importance of social distancingand self-isolation and knowing the difference.

"I do expect here in P.E.I. we will soon see a rise in cases," she said,noting another uptick in casesacross the country Tuesday.She said about sixper cent of cases across the country are resulting in hospitalizations.

"The time to act is now, but acting requires us to stop. Stop going out, stop socializing in person and most importantly stop, or at least slow down, the spread of this virus," said Morrison.

Self-isolation vs. social distancing

Morrison said the government is working on clarifying the language between self-isolation and social distancing, as there has been some confusion among Islanders.

Anyone who has travelled outside of P.E.I., whether in the country or outside of Canada, is required to self-isolatethat means staying in your home for 14 days.

There are three cases of COVID-19 in the province, all travel related, which is why travellers specificallyare being asked to self-isolate.

If someone hasbeen exposed to COVID-19, Morrison said the typical onset of symptoms can be up to 12 days later. The 14-day self-isolation period captures that entire window. The average onset of symptoms is five to sixdays later, but it can range between two and 12 days.

P.E.I. has not yet reportedany community transmission of COVID-19, which involves getting the coronavirus from someone in the province who already has it, but it has occurred elsewhere in Canada.

'Flatten that curve'

Social distancing is for all Islanders, even thosewho have not travelled outside of the province.Itmeans maintaining a two-metre distance fromone another,because the virus spreads throughdroplets and can live on surfaces for hours or even days.

Morrison saidsocial distancing still means staying home as much as possible, andreiterated thatone person in the family should go for groceries or to pick up a prescription, and they should continue to keep two metres, or six feet, between themselves and anyone they come in contact with while out in the community.

She said self-isolating and social distancing are both beingdone in aneffortto flatten the curve.

"The curve represents the maximum number of cases from the infection and that number could be well above what our health-care system is able to cope with if we do not try to flatten that curve," Morrison said.

Morrison said 416 COVID-19 tests have beenconducted in the province as of Tuesday morning, including health care workers.

"Health care workers who have new onset of cough, fever, whether or not they've travelled outside the province or outside the country, are now being screened for testing if they have new symptoms," she said.

Anyone with symptoms is advised to call 811 and Morrison said Tuesday that additional phone lines and staff to answer the calls have been added so wait times should be "significantly reduced."

Enforcement

In anews briefing Monday, Morrison was joined by Premier Dennis King andMinister of Justice and Public Safety Bloyce Thompson. They announced that those who do not comply with orders to self-isolate during the pandemic will face strict fines.

King also said that under P.E.I.'s Public Health Act, Morrison will have the ability to issue orders.Law enforcement can issue fines starting at $1,000for the first offence, $2,000 for the second offence and $10,000 for the third and subsequent offences.

In Tuesday'sbriefing, Morrison said she has correspondedon this withthe Emergency Measures Organizationand police services Mondayevening andTuesday morning.

"Our expectation is that if a concern is called into us from the 1-800 line, we will reach out and we will initially have that conversation," she said.

"The police services are there to help us if we think we need it."

Employer compliance

Officials saidIslanders cancall1-800-958-6400 to expressconcerns about fellow Islanders who arenot following self-isolation requirements or social distancing recommendations.

Morrison said Tuesday that the line has received calls from employeesconcerned their employers are not following her instructions.

She said the province is reaching out to those businesses and addressingconcerns, and they have been well received.

There was one instance, Morrison said, where "there was a little reluctance, but a firm voice conversation happenedand so that was resolved."

Morrison announced the Island's third case of COVID-19 on Sunday.

COVID-19: What you need to know

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

• Fever.
• Cough.
• Tiredness.

But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia, which can lead to death.

What should I do if I feel sick?

Isolate yourself andcall your local public health authority. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested.

How can I protect myself?

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Be aware ofevolving travel advisoriesto different regions.

More detailed information on the outbreak is available on thefederal government's website.

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