3 new cases of COVID-19 reported Tuesday on P.E.I.
CBC News | Posted: September 14, 2021 7:12 PM | Last Updated: September 14, 2021
2 of the cases are at Stratford Elementary but are not considered on 'outbreak'
P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Office announced three new cases of COVID-19 on the Island Tuesday.
Two of the new cases are students at Stratford Elementary School, according to a written release from the province. The third is a person their 30s who recently traveled outside Atlantic Canada.
One of the cases is in a child under age 10 and the other is between 10 and 19. Both are students at Stratford Elementary and are close contacts of a previously announced case, the release said.
"At this time, there is no evidence of transmission between students at Stratford Elementary, and these cases are not considered an outbreak," the release states.
"Contact tracing is underway, and all close contacts will be tested and required to self-isolate, depending on their vaccine status. Only those who have been contacted by public health and identified as close contacts require testing."
The release advises any Stratford Elementary students or staff with any symptoms of COVID-19, even mild ones, to be tested Tuesday or Wednesday.
'Waiting game'
"[The CPHO is] indicating that these cases are connected to previous cases announced. At this point that does make a significant difference," Norbert Carpenter, director of the Public Schools Branch, said.
"It's not declared a school outbreak because of the close contact relation with former cases, so right now we're sort of in this waiting game to see more testing coming in this evening and overnight.
"The luxury we do have right now is that Stratford Elementary is without classes up until the end of the day on Wednesday."
Carpenter said the province will have to determine that day whether in-person schooling can start once again in the Charlottetown area.
"Today we had two cases, which is unfortunate, but it could be worse," he said. "We're hoping for the best and I think decisions will need to be made tomorrow in regards to classes returning to the Charlottetown-area schools."
There is a flight exposure notification related to the person in their 30s. Anyone who travelled on PAL Airlines flight PB 1985 from Halifax to Charlottetown on Mon., Sept. 13, should closely monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and if any develop, visit a drop-in test clinic.
There are currently 22 active cases of COVID-19 on P.E.I., and 255 since the pandemic began. There have been no deaths associated with the virus on the Island.
Right now, vaccinations against COVID-19 are only available to those over age 12.
The release also advises parents home COVID-19 screening kits for children under 12 are now available at Access P.E.I. sites in Tignish, O'Leary, Souris and Montague. The pilot project's goal is to provide home COVID screening tests to Island families with children, starting in rural P.E.I. where families have more limited access to COVID-19 testing.