'Business as usual' on P.E.I. as coronavirus concerns cause cancellations elsewhere

Officials with conventions and festivals on P.E.I. are monitoring the coronavirus situation, but so far there have been no cancellations.

Concerns over the the spread of the coronavirushave caused cancellations this month for events ranging from the world women's hockey championships in Halifax to the South by Southwest music festival in Texas.

It's also causedthe annual Boston seafood expo, scheduled for mid-March, to be postponed.

Susan Freeman, executive director ofMeetings and Conventions Prince Edward Island, said P.E.I. is still on track to have another solid year for meetings and conventions .

"We are just business as usual.We are monitoring the situation. We are in contact with our tourism partners, our members," she said.

"At this point, we are not hearing anything that there are conferences or events that are looking to not come to Prince Edward Island."

Officials with the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, scheduled for July 10-12,say they are also monitoring the situation, but so far everything is going ahead as planned.

Jeff Squires, president of Whitecap Entertainment, which puts on the festival, said there have been no cancellations from artists or fans.Each year the event draws tens of thousands of people from around the country and beyond.

"We are monitoring what's going on in other jurisdictions," he said.

"We're continuing towatch and listen and to see how things continue to unfold."

Squires said it is still "early days for Cavendish Beach Music Festival, but definitely we're paying attention."

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, said there are now more than 110,000 confirmed cases worldwide, and 72 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. There have been no confirmed cases on P.E.I. or in any of the Atlantic provinces.

The firstCOVID-19 related death in Canada has beenrecorded in B.C.

Health officials in that provincesaid a male resident of the Lynn Valley Care Centre identified as a COVID-19 hotspot three days ago died late Sunday.

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