COVID-19 variant confirmed on P.E.I.

A previously announced positive case of COVID-19 in P.E.I. was confirmed Saturday to be the B117 variant of the disease.

The announcement came as Newfoundland confirmed Friday that the variant — first identified in United Kingdom — was responsible for the recent outbreak in the province. P.E.I. is the last province in the country to confirm a case of the variant.

“The detection of the B117 variant is not a cause for alarm in P.E.I.,” Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.'s chief public health officer, said during an unscheduled briefing Saturday afternoon. “However, it is a warning signal that we should all pause and reflect on our own situation and ask ourselves, ‘Are we being responsible for our actions’?”

Late Friday, the provincial lab and national microbiology lab confirmed a positive case announced on Feb. 4 was the B117 variant.

The case, a man in his 20s, had a recent history of international travel. He remains in self-isolation and has been followed daily by public health officials, said Morrison.

“This individual did exactly what was required and following arrival in P.E.I. immediately went into selfisolation at a location separate and apart from others.”

The man arrived on the Island on a Feb. 1 evening flight, Air Canada Flight AC 8302, from Montreal. Public health is following up with everyone on board, who are all following isolation protocols.

Passengers tested before Saturday’s briefing had negative results and more were being tested later in the day. Paramedics involved in testing of the man and screeners at the airport have also returned negative results.

Four passengers who have since left the province are being contacted and testing is being arranged for three additional individuals, said Morrison.

“At this point, there is no indication the variant strain of COVID-19 has spread within our province.”

While no changes in protocols were announced, variants of concern like B117 are worrisome because they are estimated to be between 30 and 80 per cent more contagious than the original strain, which makes following existing protocols even more important, said Morrison.

“If we let our guard down, we are inviting COVID-19 to gain the upper hand and further disrupt our families, our communities and our province.”

Even with the increased contagiousness, Morrison said she doesn’t expect to alter the province’s vaccine rollout plans.

“At this point in time, the mRNA vaccines look like they have good coverage against B117, or UK variant, and I do not anticipate any change."

Last week, Morrison said she believed the Atlantic bubble could reopen as soon as April 1. The existence of the new variant doesn’t necessarily change that, she said Saturday.

“Whether it’s variant or not, it’s really about making sure we have good control of the transmission of COVID19 in our provinces.”

When asked about the ability to test for COVID-19 variants without sending them to the national microbiology lab, Morrison said there have been talks with Nova Scotia to do some of the sequencing there in the future, which would improve the turnaround time in identifying variants.

Morrison also confirmed the number of doses of the Moderna vaccine originally meant for P.E.I. had been reduced, similarly to other provinces, but didn’t provide specific numbers.

She said she would provide more information in today’s regularly scheduled briefing.