A presumed case of the new deadly strain of coronavirus in British Columbia has been confirmed by the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, bringing the number of confirmed cases in Canada to three.
Health officials in B.C. reported the presumed case Tuesday, and testing returned positive Wednesday, confirming the case is indeed the new coronavirus that has been spreading around the globe.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says officials are in regular contact with the individual who is in isolation at home, and the risk of spread of the virus in B.C. remains low.
She says all necessary precautions are being taken and the province has multiple systems in place to prepare for, detect and respond to prevent the transmission of serious infectious diseases.
Ontario public health officials announced earlier in the day that a presumptive case of the new deadly strain of coronavirus was confirmed by the National Microbiology Lab, bringing the number of confirmed cases in that province to two.
More than 7,700 people in China have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus and 170 of them have died.
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The Canadian Press
