P.E.I. brings back quarantine requirement for people arriving in province

Starting Wednesday at 8 a.m. all people arriving on P.E.I. will have to self-isolate for four days.

Premier Dennis King made the announcement at a public briefing Tuesday.

Each person arriving will be given two rapid tests: one for day two and one for day four. If both tests are negative, the person may come out of isolation.

"This is not the situation we planned to be in," said King.

"I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart I'm sorry we are going through this."

If a person chooses to move into a household, everyone in that household must self-isolate.

The province is also mandating early closing of bars and restaurants.

Following King, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison announced 29 new cases on the Island, making for 112 active cases as of 8 a.m. AT Tuesday.

Morrison said 18 of the cases announced last week were the Omicron variant.

"Even if the severity of disease caused by Omicron is equal or lower than that of the Delta strain, the increased transmissibility and exponential growth of cases will rapidly outweigh any benefits of potentially reduced severity," said Morrison.

King also expressed concern about the capacity of the health-care system.

"The limitations we have in capacity has always made us go a little more quickly than other jurisdictions," he said.

"Nine hospitalizations in P.E.I. is a lot different than nine in Nova Scotia."

Morrison acknowledged that the news is disheartening and said she realized that everyone is tired, but encouraged everyone to do what they can to keep the pandemic under control on the Island.