How P.E.I. is faring in the Omicron wave
Kevin Yarr | CBC News | Posted: December 23, 2021 2:12 PM | Last Updated: December 23, 2021
In the last week P.E.I. has recorded as many COVID-19 cases as it did in the first year
With current COVID-19 case counts triple the previous highs, P.E.I. has not seen anything like the current pandemic situation, but the Island is still faring well compared to the rest of Canada.
As of Thursday morning, the province had 141 active cases, with 116 cases added in the last week. It took a year for P.E.I. to record its first 116 cases.
But according to the latest numbers from the Public Health Agency of Canada, at 78.8 per 100,000 the rate of new cases on the Island is well below the national average of 187.1 per 100,000.
It is fourth lowest, behind Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan.
P.E.I. is not faring so well in the rate of increase in new cases, reflecting relatively low numbers earlier this month. New cases increased 306 per cent week over week. Only Newfoundland and Labrador, at 637 per cent, was higher — again reflecting relatively low numbers before this wave.
The national average was 120 per cent.
Not surprisingly, given P.E.I.'s dodging of previous waves, its overall totals remain far below any other province.
At 350 per 100,000, the total case count rate is 22 per cent lower than Newfoundland and Labrador's, which is the next lowest rate. It is 93 per cent lower than the national rate of 5,052 per 100,000.