Coronavirus update
Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in British Columbia:
“All B.C. patients with COVID-19 continue to recover in isolation at home and under care by public-health teams. In total, seven people have tested positive for COVID-19. The first individual has recovered, as indicated by the resolution of symptoms, followed by two successive negative test results 24 hours apart.
“In recent days, we have seen an increasing number of countries around the world with a growing number of cases. While the risk of spread of this virus within British Columbia remains low at this time, we are watching the global evolution of COVID-19 carefully and are focusing efforts on containing the spread of COVID-19 in B.C. and in Canada.
“We are preparing for all possibilities that may occur in the coming weeks, including the possibility of a pandemic. A pandemic is the spread of an illness to a large number of people on a global scale.
Please note provincial recommendations on travel-related, self isolation:
- The Provincial Health Officer is advising people who have been to Hubei province in the last 14 days, or who have been in contact with someone who has, to call public health officials and self-isolate for 14 days.
- The Provincial Health Officer is also advising that anyone who is concerned they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of, the coronavirus should contact their primary care provider, local public health office or call 811. Translation services for 811 are available in more than 130 languages.
Useful Links
- Feb. 20 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer:https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0041-000304
- Feb. 19 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer:https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0039-000294
- Feb. 14 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0036-000284
- Feb. 6 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer:https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0025-000236
- Feb. 4 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer:https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0023-000222
- Feb. 3 joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer –https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0020-000210
- Ministry of Health response plans – https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/pandemic-influenza
- Novel Coronavirus Q&A from HealthLinkBC: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-feature/coronavirus
- BC Centre for Disease Control: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/coronavirus-(novel)
- Government of Canada – Novel Coronavirus in China Travel Health Notice:https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/travel-health-notices/210