Friday January 31, 2020 ~ BC
by Mary Brooke, B.Sc. ~ West Shore Voice News
As of today January 31, the BC Centre for Disease Control has tested 114 samples for 2019-nCoV (Wuhan Coronavirus), with one positive, said Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry today along with Health Minister Adrian Dix at a media session in Vancouver this morning.
Across Canada, there are four cases — this one in BC and three in Ontario (one more was confirmed today — a woman in her 20s who lives in London, Ontario who had returned recently from the Wuhan area in China where the Coronavirus is believed to have emerged from).
“Please note that there are more samples tested than patients, as some patients have had more than one sample tested,” said Dr Henry.
She added: “We want to reassure people that the risk of this virus spreading within British Columbia remains low at this time. All necessary precautions are being taken to prevent the spread of infection. We have multiple systems in place to prepare for, detect and respond to prevent the spread of serious infectious diseases in the province.”
That preparation mostly entails preparation at hospitals and clinics (including the protection of health care workers) as well as reminding the public of how to take anti-infection precautions (hand washing etc) and keeping up the public messaging about self-reporting if a person experiences flu-like symptoms.
“It is not necessary for the general public to take special precautions beyond the usual measures recommended to prevent other common respiratory viruses during winter. Regular hand washing, coughing or sneezing into your elbow sleeve, disposing of tissues appropriately and avoiding contact with sick people are important ways to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, generally,” said Dr Henry.
So far, the epidemiology of this disease appears to be affecting elderly people most, with otherwise healthy adults recovering in a number of days. All three persons confirmed to have the virus in Ontario are now home in self-quarantine.
For more information and latest updates on 2019-nCoV, follow the BC Centre for Disease Control on Twitter @CDCofBC – or visit the BC CDC website.
==== LINKS:
BC Centre for Disease Control on Twitter @CDCofBC
Provincial health officer’s statement confirming 2019-nCoV: January 29, 2020
PHO & Health Minister’s January 28 joint statement on 2019-nCoV (January 28, 2020)
Summary of the Coronavirus news to January 25, 2020 (page 1 in the January 24-25 weekend edition of West Shore Voice News)
Editorial on the global politics of health epidemics (as first published on page 2 in the January 24-25 weekend edition of West Shore Voice News)