'Business as usual' on P.E.I. as coronavirus concerns cause cancellations elsewhere
No cases on P.E.I., but officials with conventions, Cavendish Beach Music Festival monitoring situation
Officials with conventions and festivals on P.E.I. are monitoring the coronavirus situation, but so far there have been no cancellations.
Concerns over the the spread of the coronavirus have caused cancellations this month for events ranging from the world women's hockey championships in Halifax to the South by Southwest music festival in Texas.
It's also caused the annual Boston seafood expo, scheduled for mid-March, to be postponed.
Susan Freeman, executive director of Meetings and Conventions Prince Edward Island, said P.E.I. is still on track to have another solid year for meetings and conventions .
"We are just business as usual. We are monitoring the situation. We are in contact with our tourism partners, our members," she said.
"At this point, we are not hearing anything that there are conferences or events that are looking to not come to Prince Edward Island."
Officials with the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, scheduled for July 10-12, say they are also monitoring the situation, but so far everything is going ahead as planned.
Jeff Squires, president of Whitecap Entertainment, which puts on the festival, said there have been no cancellations from artists or fans. Each year the event draws tens of thousands of people from around the country and beyond.
"We are monitoring what's going on in other jurisdictions," he said.
"We're continuing to watch and listen and to see how things continue to unfold."
Squires said it is still "early days for Cavendish Beach Music Festival, but definitely we're paying attention."
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, said there are now more than 110,000 confirmed cases worldwide, and 72 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. There have been no confirmed cases on P.E.I. or in any of the Atlantic provinces.
The first COVID-19 related death in Canada has been recorded in B.C.
Health officials in that province said a male resident of the Lynn Valley Care Centre — identified as a COVID-19 hotspot three days ago — died late Sunday.
| What are the symptoms of COVID-19? Common symptoms include:
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 and call your local public health authority. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested. How can I protect myself?
More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website. |
More from CBC P.E.I.
With files from Angela Walker