2 more COVID-related deaths on P.E.I., bringing death toll to 55, province reports

P.E.I. is reporting two deaths related to COVID-19 since thelast weekly update.

The Department of Health and Wellness said Tuesday one of the individuals was between 60 and 79, and the other was 80 years old or older.

Thisbrings the total number of deaths on P.E.I. related to COVID-19 to 55.

The average number of daily cases has dropped slightly, from 116 last week to 106. The province has seen 740 new cases since last Tuesday.

Twenty-seven people are in hospital with the virus, with 10 having been admitted due to COVID-19. One of those people is in the intensive care unit. Seventeen others were admitted to hospital for other reasons and testedpositive on or after admission.

Last week there were 11 people in hospital with COVID-19 and four that had been hospitalized due to the effects of the virus.

The province has also declared an outbreak at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Unit 1.

The number of active cases which is notcomprehensive because not everyone with symptoms seeks out a provincially administered test has risen from 1,018 to 1,089.

Tested samples that were positive dropped from 37.9 per cent last week to 34.5 per cent.

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said during an interview with Island Morning Tuesday the province is expecting a COVID-19 wave in the fall, and that it will be monitoring a number of factors including infection rates to determine if back-to-school guidance needs to be changed.

First day of public school on P.E.I. is Sept. 7.