P.E.I.’s chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison says there are three new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Morrison provided the update during her regular weekly briefing Tuesday morning as she said the three new positive cases are all close contacts of a previously announced case.
Two of the cases are younger than 19 and one is in their 40s.
Morrison said the three cases will remain in self-isolation for 14 days.
The latest cases bring the number of active cases in P.E.I. to 14 and a total of 159 since the pandemic began.
Morrison said approximately 94 close contacts of confirmed cases are in self-isolation.
During the briefing, Morrison said the number of reported cases in Canada is up for the third consecutive week and variants of concern continue to surge across Canada.
Morrison said variants of concern are a new and unpredictable variable that will impact the third wave of COVID-19.
The big question for third wave is how high the number of cases will go, Morrison said.
As P.E.I. continues its vaccination program, Morrison said this week people in the 65-69 age group and those 60 years or older with underlying health conditions will be able to book appointments.
Morrison said the province will soon be releasing a schedule to let all Islanders know when they can book their vaccination appointments.
With this week’s announcement that P.E.I. is pausing the use of AstraZeneca in people younger than 55, Morrison said only mRNA vaccines are being used at all public clinics across the province.
Read more: P.E.I. hits pause button on AstraZeneca vaccine for Islanders under 55
Recently, plans were announced to reopen the Atlantic bubble by April 19.
Morrison said that will happen as long as case counts remain low in the region and outbreaks are contained.
Residents of other provinces will need to submit a declaration to come to P.E.I. and planning is underway to manage increased traffic in Borden-Carleton, Morrison said.
During the briefing, Morrison also announced restrictions will be loosening at long-term care facilities starting April 1, including allowing residents to attend church services in the community.
Morrison also provided an update on the Easter Bunny’s pending arrival in P.E.I. and said she knows many children are wondering if it will visit this year.
Like last year, the Easter Bunny is immune to COVID-19 and can visit, adding it is exempt from travel exemptions.
“The pandemic will not keep the Easter Bunny away,” she said.
More to come.