Hitting close to home
No new cases in P.E.I., but Morrison calls New Brunswick outbreaks 'concerning', urges Islanders who have travelled to Moncton, Campbellton to monitor for symptoms
P.E.I.’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison is urging Islanders who travelled to the Moncton or Campbellton regions to monitor themselves for symptoms, to wear a mask at all times outside their homes and to minimize their contacts.
The two regions, in the midst of an outbreak of COVID-19, reported 40 new cases over the Thanksgiving weekend, including cases linked to three schools and in one long-term care facility. On Tuesday, six new cases were announced.
"The COVID-19 situation in New Brunswick is concerning on a number of fronts,” Morrison said during a media briefing in Charlottetown on Tuesday morning.
“It's very close to home, the spread has been rapid and there are cases in schools and in the care facility."
Two new cases of COVID19 were reported on P.E.I. over the weekend, but neither was linked to the outbreaks in New Brunswick.
There were no new P.E.I. cases announced on Tuesday.
Public health officials are also urging travellers who have returned from travel in the two New Brunswick regions to avoid public places, avoid large gatherings and to keep their contacts limited to a close circle beyond their households.
Those who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 are advised to visit a drop-in testing clinic.
A letter addressed to the directors of the Public Schools Branch and the French language schoolboard also urged staff who had visited the two regions in recent days to follow these precautions over the coming two weeks and to wear a mask “at all times while at work”.
"The situation serves as a reminder that it could happen just as easily in Prince Edward Island. Now is not the time to become complacent or reckless," Morrison said.
Morrison also said the province is not currently planning to impose restrictions or 14-day quarantine requirements for travellers entering P.E.I. from New Brunswick.
"We want to maintain that Atlantic bubble as much as possible.”
Morrison said her staff is continuing to monitor the outbreaks in Moncton and Campbellton, but in the event of deteriorating conditions, a decision to impose restrictions on travellers entering from New Brunswick would be based on the capacity of P.E.I.’s health system, the severity of local outbreaks and the degree of increases in daily cases of COVID-19.
Morrison said the province is preparing to screen individuals arriving in P.E.I. from the Campbellton region. Morrison suggested the outbreak in Moncton is considered “pretty well controlled”.
Morrison also highlighted recent “field and pit parties” involving up to 400 people, as well as large house parties involving youth.
With a second wave underway in Ontario and Quebec, Morrison urged Islanders to avoid large gatherings and to keep their circle of contacts small.
"In addition to presenting a risk to the health of attendees, their families and close contacts and the absence of an approved operational plan, these parties are against the law," Morrison said.
Morrison also urged employers to consider foregoing traditional Christmas social gatherings in the coming months.
Health P.E.I. Chief of Nursing Marion Dowling said close to 600 people were tested at P.E.I.’s drop-in testing sites over the weekend.
Dowling also said the province has received 12 ventilators ordered at the beginning of the pandemic through provincial purchasing. An additional 10 ventilators were provided earlier this year by the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile.
With the additional ventilators, this brings the total number available on P.E.I. to 41.
The orders for ventilators were delayed due to a global shortage of the potentially life-saving devices. An additional amount ordered through federal-provincial bulk purchasing in March has yet to arrive on P.E.I.
Dowling also stated that health authorities are hoping to reopen Unit 9, the acute psychiatric unit, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital by the end of October.
The unit was closed in the early weeks of the pandemic to free up capacity for potential COVID patients at the hospital.
An urgent psychiatric unit was opened at the Hillsborough Hospital but with limited programming.
"The situation serves as a reminder that it could happen just as easily in Prince Edward Island. Now is not the time to become complacent or reckless." Dr. Heather Morrison