156 new cases of COVID-19 reported on P.E.I. over the weekend

P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison announced 156 new cases of COVID-19 in the province over the weekend.

The cases had been adding up since the last announcement on Friday. According to the government release, 52 cases were identified on Friday, five on Saturday and 99 on Sunday. The province didn't say ifanyone isin hospital due to the virus.

All cases are still under investigation and contact tracing is underway. Anyone identified as a close contact will be contacted by the province.

The release said there has been an average of 39 cases per day over the past week.

This brings the P.E.I. total number of active cases to 309 a record high for the province. There have been 775 cases of COVID-19 on the Island since the pandemic began.

Public exposure,flight notifications on pause

On Monday morning, the P.E.I. government released a list of 30 new COVID-19 public exposure sites. Moving forward, the release said to "assume that all public places are potential public exposure sites."

Public exposure notifications and flight exposure notifications will be paused for the time being because of the widespread community transmission.

The dates of the new public exposures rangefrom Dec. 16 to last Friday. The exposures are across the province in Charlottetown, Summerside, Cornwall, Kensington, Wellington and Long Creek.

There was also a Dec. 22 travel exposure on an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Charlottetown. On Dec. 21, there was an exposure on a Maritime Bus travelling from Amherst to Charlottetown.

Here is the full list of new exposure sites released by the government:

Thursday, Dec. 16

• Silver Fox Curling Club, Summerside, between 6p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Friday,Dec. 17

• Brothers 2 Restaurant, Summerside, between 5p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Saturday,Dec. 18

• Atlantic Fitness Centre, Garfield Street, Charlottetown, between 4p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
• Slaymaker and Nicols, Charlottetown, between 8p.m. and 11p.m.
• Boston Pizza, Charlottetown, between 5p.m. and 6p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 19

• McDonalds, University Charlottetown, between 3:30 p.m. and midnight
• Brickhouse Kitchen and Bar, Charlottetown, between 3p.m. and 9p.m.
• The Boat House and Winners, Charlottetown Mall, between 1p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
• Atlantic Fitness Centre, Garfield Street Charlottetown, between 12p.m. and 2p.m.
• Long Creek Baptist Church, between 10a.m. and 11a.m.
• Sam's Restaurant, Charlottetown, between 9a.m. and 10a.m.
• C&B Caf, Kensington, between 11a.m. and 12p.m.
• Willow Bakery, Kensington, between 12p.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 20

• Summerside Boys and Girls Club, between 12p.m. and 4p.m.
• Court Six Crossfit, Charlottetown, between 4:45 a.m. and 6:30 a.m.
• Cineplex Cinemas, Charlottetown, for 10:05 p.m. show
• Good Life Gym, Charlottetown, between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
• P.E.I. Liquor, Cornwall, between 8a.m. and 4p.m.

Tuesday, Dec.21

• Punjabi Bites, Charlottetown, between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
• Murphy's Pharmacy, Wellington, between 9a.m. and 4p.m.

Wednesday, Dec.22

• Gahan House, Charlottetown, between 4p.m. and 5p.m.
• Brickhouse Kitchen and Bar, Charlottetown, between 3p.m. and 9p.m.
• Credit Union Place Pool, Summerside, between 1p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
• P.E.I. Liquor, Cornwall, between 8a.m. and 4p.m.

Thursday, Dec.23

• Murphy's Pharmacy, Wellington, between 8 a.m. and 4p.m.
• Credit Union Place Pool, Summerside, between 5p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
• Cineplex Theatre, Summerside, screening ofSing 2 at 3:25 p.m.

Friday, Dec.24

• Murphy's Pharmacy, Wellington, between 9a.m. and 3p.m.

Travel

• Wednesday, Dec.22: Air Canada flight 8330 from Toronto to Charlottetown
• Tuesday, Dec. 21: Maritime Bus departing Amherst 2:50 p.m. to Charlottetown Maritime Bus Depot Mt. Edward Road

Anyoneat these locations at the listed times, whether vaccinated or not, isasked to monitor for symptoms. If symptoms appear, immediately get tested and self-isolate until results come back.

O'Leary testing clinic closed Tuesday

The Charlottetown, Summerside and Borden-Carleton testing clinics are open Monday, while Montague'sis closed for the day. These clinicsareclosed on Jan. 1, and Summerside's clinic in Slemon Park will also be closed on Jan. 2.

People wereturned away from the COVID-19 testing site in Borden-Carletonon Boxing Day after the site reachedcapacity early in the afternoon.The closure didn't affect 24-hour rapid testing for those who were entering the province via the Confederation Bridge, according to a release from Health P.E.I.

The O'Leary testing clinic will not open Tuesday because of lab testing capacity.

A pop-up booster vaccination clinic will open on Tuesday between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at the Sherwood Business Centre in Charlottetown. Approximately 75 to 100 Moderna doses will be available. Bookings can be made through the pop-up booking portalbypeople50 and older who received their second dose at least six months ago.

In the rest of Atlantic Canada,Nova Scotia is reporting581 new cases of COVID-19 on Mondaywith 15 people in hospital,Newfoundland and Labrador confirmed 357 cases over the holiday weekend with two people in hospital, and New Brunswickannounced639 new COVID-19 cases for the last three days and 35 people in hospital.