CANADA, February 18 - Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, has announced there is one person in hospital due to COVID-19 and one person in hospital who was admitted for other reasons and was COVID positive on admission or tested positive after being admitted.

As of 8:00 am on Friday, February 18, there are 235 new cases of COVID-19 and 265 resolved cases. These new cases are still under investigation. 

There are currently 2,118 active cases of COVID-19 and there have been 11,492 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Over the last seven days there have been an average of 217 cases per day. 

Moving forward, COVID-19 case data updates will be provided on the website three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. News releases and press conferences will be scheduled as needed.

Update on the locations of current outbreaks in high-risk settings:

• Long Term Care Facilities (three facilities with outbreaks):
  • Andrews of Park West
  • Clinton View Lodge 
  • South Shore Villa 
• Community Care Facilities:
• Early Learning and Child Care Centres:
  • 16 centres with cases or outbreaks of COVID-19
  • 12 centres open
  • Two centre closed
  • Two centres operating at a modified or reduced capacity

Island schools with cases are listed on the Public Schools Branch  and Commission scolaire de langue française websites. 

As of Sunday, February 13, 97 per cent of Island residents over the age of 12 years received at least one dose of vaccine and 93.7 per cent were fully vaccinated. 68.6 per cent of children ages 5 to 11 had one dose of vaccine. Almost 70,000 third doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.

Anyone 12 years of age and older can get their COVID-19 vaccination – first and second dose – at a Health PEI vaccination clinic or at one of the many partner pharmacies across the province. Booster doses are also being offered at clinics and partner pharmacies to those 18 years of age and older who received their second dose five and a half months earlier.  Island children 5 to 11 years of age can receive their COVID-19 vaccine at a Health PEI vaccination clinic.

Until further notice, testing at Health PEI COVID-19 testing clinics will continue to be limited to the following:

• Symptomatic individuals
• Close contacts of positive cases 
• Confirmatory tests for individuals who test preliminary positive with a rapid antigen test 

Individuals who do not have symptoms do not require testing (unless in one of the above categories). Individuals entering PEI will be given rapid antigen screening tests to be used on days 2 and 4 after arrival.

Individuals who are isolating and require supports are encouraged to dial 2-1-1 to be directed to nearby community support systems, or provincial government service offices.  This assistance includes help with securing food, personal prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and other emergency situations. The program operates on a self-referral basis. More information is available here.

As always, all Islanders are urged to get tested if they experience any symptoms of COVID-19, even after a previous negative test, and to self-isolate until the results come back. 

For information on PEI’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, including vaccine facts, immunization data and booking an appointment, visit: COVID-19 Vaccines. For answers to commonly asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, visit: Answers to Common COVID-19 Vaccine Questions.

Backgrounder:

The Chief Public Health Office continues to work closely with the federal government, provincial and territorial counterparts, government departments and Health PEI to monitor the pandemic situation and prepare for all COVID-19 related impacts to the province, including health, social and economic. The public health risk of COVID-19 is continually reassessed, and Islanders will be updated as new information becomes available.

Everyone is encouraged to follow routine prevention measures:

• Get vaccinated
• Wear a properly fitted, three-layer mask in indoor public places and in outdoor public places where physical distancing from others cannot be maintained
• Keep your circle of contacts small
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue
• Stay home if you are not feeling well
• Limit touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Physical distance - stay two meters (6 feet) apart
• Don’t share items like drinking glasses and water bottles
• Frequently clean surfaces like taps, doorknobs and countertops
• Visit a drop-in-clinic to be tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms

Media Contacts: Samantha Hughes Health and Wellness (902) 316-1323 shughes@gov.pe.ca