P.E.I. reports 5 people in hospital with COVID-19 Saturday

Five people are being treated for COVID-19 at hospitals in P.E.I.

In a release Saturday, the province said two other individuals were hospitalized for other reasons, but tested positive for the virus, for a total of seven. None of the five are in intensive care.

That's compared to eight individuals who were hospitalized as of Friday morning, one receiving treatmentin the ICU.

Later in the day Friday, the province announced two COVID-related deaths, the first for the province since the pandemic was declared in March of 2020.

In other COVID news Saturday, the Chief Public Health Office has declared an outbreak atSt. Eleanor's House after two people in the Summerside addictions recovery home tested positive.

More cases were announced for previously reported outbreaks, including three at theAtlantic Baptist long-term care facility (where 19 residents now have COVID-19), one additional case at Miscouche Villa (for a total of nine residents) and another at Shelters and Outreach Services (for a total of 10 cases).

Containment measures have put in place in all the facilities where outbreaks have been declared, and testing isongoing.

There were 309 new cases and 222 recoveries in Saturday's report.

There has been an average of 226 cases per day over the last seven days.

"Approximately 25 per cent of our new cases are related to community spread which means there is no known origin of infection for the positive cases, such as travel or being a close contact," Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said in therelease.

"It is important that anyone who tests positive or is identified as a close contact follow the required isolation and testing protocols, respectively."

P.E.I. has 2,081 active cases. Therehave been 4,170 since the pandemic began.