CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The day after announcing a Charlottetown Rural High School student tested positive for COVID-19, chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison says there are no new cases to announce today.
Since Saturday, public health nurses tested 70 close contacts and 283 casual contacts of the student, as well as close to an additional 750 Islanders. All tests came back negative.
Given the large number of tests conducted, including 3,000 in the last week, Morrison said she is reassured there is no widespread community transmission in P.E.I.
“Thank you to everyone who received a call advising them to be tested. They were understanding and co-operative. Thank you for responding so quickly and doing the right thing, getting tested.”
The source of the student’s COVID-19 exposure has yet to be identified.
Though he has no history of travel, Morrison said it is likely related to importation and travel outside the province based on the history of his close contacts. Public health will continue to investigate.
Much of that investigation will include further testing, retesting close contacts and further investigation of the case’s history to establish a more detailed timeline.
In the meantime, those 70 close contacts will remain in isolation for 14 days and be tested again.
Norbert Carpenter, acting director of P.E.I.'s Public School Branch, confirmed Charlottetown Rural High School would remain open on Monday, based on the recommendation of Morrison’s office.
“We’re confident that the work has been done and we respect and applaud the work of the (Chief Public Health Office) and take advice from them related to the local epidemiology related to the cases.”
A specialized cleaning service has been deployed, with 24 cleaners deep cleaning the school. Bus number three and 23, which the student travelled on Nov. 25 and 26, will also be cleaned.
For students, additional counselling services and supports will be at the school and remote learning is being provided for those students who have to self-isolate.
When asked what she would say to parents who might be afraid to send their kids back to school, Morrison said if her daughter attended Charlottetown Rural, she would send her back, but she would remind her to continue to wear a mask, wash her hands and social distance.
“At this point in time, there’s one case. It’s not a cluster. There’s not an outbreak at the school and if any of that happened in terms of a cluster or an outbreak, then my answer would be different.”
During the briefing, Morrison clarified the difference between close and casual contacts, saying a close contact is someone who has been within six feet of a positive case during an extended period of time.
Casual contact is someone who had brief interaction with a person and not close contact during an extended period of time.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 72 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in P.E.I. with four active cases, which includes the two cases announced yesterday.
