Provincial health authorities announced Friday they have tested more than 100 samples for the novel coronavirus but there is still only one known case of the disease in B.C.
So far, B.C. health authorities have tested a total of 114 samples of the virus, which has resulted in more than 50 million people being locked in a quarantine area surrounding the city of Wuhan, China. The disease is thought to have made the jump to humans in a Wuhan seafood market, where live, wild animals are kept in close proximity with food.
It has now spread to several countries across Asia, North America and Europe. As of Jan. 30, the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering has documented roughly 10,000 cases of the virus, with 213 dead and 187 recovered.
You can track the spread of the virus below.
On Jan. 28, the first positive case of the novel coronavirus was detected in a Vancouver-area man who had returned from a business trip in China. He had quarantined himself in his home upon arrival in B.C., later seeking medical attention when he began exhibiting symptoms of the virus a few days later.
A BC Centre for Disease Control lab found the man’s case a presumed positive after it matched part of the virus’s genome to a sample published by Chinese health authorities. About 24 hours later, the case was confirmed by the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg.
“As of today, B.C. continues to have only one confirmed case,” said provincial health officer Dr Bonnie Henry in a press release Friday.
At this time, the risk of the virus spreading within B.C. remains low, according to Henry, adding that the province has multiple systems in place to “prepare for, detect and respond to prevent the spread of serious infectious diseases in the province.
"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,” she said.
Those precautions include regular hand washing, coughing or sneezing into your elbow sleeve, disposing of tissues appropriately and avoiding contact with sick people.
In a joint press statement with Health Minister Adrian Dix, the province recommends anyone suspecting they have been exposed to or are exhibiting symptoms of the novel coronavirus to contact their primary care provider or local public health office.
You can also call 811, where anyone requiring translation can find answers in 130 languages.
SCHOOL DISTRICT 43
Meanwhile, School District 43 is following the lead of provincial medical health officers in dealing with the coronavirus by sending provincial health updates to families and posting them on its website.
As to whether any special procedures are taking place, a spokesperson said custodians regularly clean schools to ward off illness.
“Custodial staff continue to maintain a high level of cleanliness in our schools throughout year,” said Ivano Cecchini, executive director of facilities and planning services, in an email. "During cold and flu season, extra attention to ‘touch points’ or increased frequency of cleaning may be required and these measures are implemented as needed."
The latest coronavirus update was published Jan. 30 on the district’s website and included information about what parents can do to reduce risk.
As well, it notes: “The Ministry of Health has advised and confirmed that individuals returning from affected regions do not need to be isolated at home or kept home from school.”
