As COVID-19 count rises in P.E.I., residents asked to limit travel and gatherings

CHARLOTTETOWN — Prince Edward Island’s chief medical officer is asking residents to limit their trips off the Island, citing the province’s growing number of COVID-19 cases directly related to travel.

Dr. Heather Morrison confirmed Friday the province had detected seven new cases, five of which were related to travel.

“I urge all residents to limit travel, but I appreciate it is really important to see family and friends,” she told a briefing in Charlottetown. “Anyone who does travel should assess their own risk and that of others and be sure to follow public heath measures, including testing.”

Morrison pointed to the province’s closest neighbour, New Brunswick, which recorded 174 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday — a record daily high. On Friday, the province reported 143 new cases — the second-highest daily total.

She also noted the ongoing outbreak at St. Francis Xavier University in northern Nova Scotia, saying some of the latest cases reported in P.E.I. were linked to the Nova Scotia cluster.

As well, she said health officials are concerned by the fact that the province had recorded 30 new cases in the past three weeks, which prompted discussions about placing new restrictions on social gatherings over the holidays. The province now has 131 active cases.

“We have discussed the possibility of limiting social gatherings, but we recognize that many families have already made plans for the holidays,” she said.

Morrison confirmed public resources have been stretched, but she also said health officials recognize how important it is for Islanders to see their friends in the weeks ahead. She asked people to think twice before attending large gatherings, such as organized New Year’s Eve celebrations.

“We do not want to see people in hospital,” she said, adding that Islanders should recall that the province was in the midst of a circuit-breaker lockdown during the Christmas holidays last year. “We don’t want to go back to the restrictions that were in place last year.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2021.

The Canadian Press