There are two new unrelated cases of COVID-19 in P.E.I., including a student at Charlottetown Rural High School.
Chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison provided the update this afternoon in an unscheduled briefing, along with Premier Dennis King and Norbert Carpenter, acting director of the Public Schools Branch.
Morrison said the male student was confirmed positive for COVID-19 this morning.
“We are working closely with the Public Schools Branch and the administration at Charlottetown Rural to help manage this situation.”
All close contacts with the student are being contacted by public health to arrange for testing and to inform them whether they need to self-isolate.
The student is at home self-isolating with mild symptoms.
On Nov. 25 and 26, the student travelled to school on buses three and 23 and returned home on bus 23. Students on those buses will be called and told to test, Morrison said.
Any student who sits within six feet of the student will be considered a close contact and be contacted by public health.
All staff at the school are also being asked to get tested and all those who are tested should remain in isolation until they receive a negative test result.
In relation to this case, two public exposure locations were announced: the Wendy's Restaurant at 634 University Ave. on Nov. 25 and 26 from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. and the Needs Convenience Store at 259 St. Peter's Rd on Nov. 26 from 9 - 11 p.m.
Anyone at these locations at these times should closely monitor for symptoms and get tested if symptoms develop.
The student also plays hockey with the Sherwood Minor Hockey Midget A Central team two and all close contacts, including teammates and coaching staff, will be contacted to arrange for testing.
Morrison was unable to confirm how the student may have contacted COVID-19, but she hopes contact tracing will determine that.
The second new case is a male between the ages of 10 and 19 who travelled outside Atlantic Canada.
That male has been self-isolating at home and is not a student in P.E.I.
All close contacts have been called and are also isolating.
Morrison said the second case travelled on Air Canada flight AC7462 from Toronto to Charlottetown on Nov. 26.
Morrison anticipates the new cases will require an additional 200-300 COVID-19 tests to be completed.
“If we can get those done tonight, those results will hopefully be available tomorrow.”
To accommodate the additional testing, the Charlottetown testing clinic on Park Street and the Slemon Park testing clinic in Summerside will have additional staff and be open from 12 – 8 p.m., said Morrison.
“Please be patient with Health P.E.I. and Island EMS staff at the testing clinics. They will be working as fast as they can to get everyone tested.”
What this means for the school hasn’t yet been decided, though the PSB is prepared and ready for any decisions needed, said Carpenter.
“We’ve been planning for situations like this, we’ve had tabletop exercise and have numerous contingency plans, but it all boils down to safety.”
