B.C has confirmed a second “presumptive confirmed” case of coronavirus in the Lower Mainland.
The 50-year-old woman tested positive, a test which is expected to be confirmed at the countries national lab in Winnipeg.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province’s chief medical health officer, made the announcement at a press conference Tuesday, where she said the woman from the Vancouver Coastal Health region likely contracted it from family visiting from Wuhan, China.
The woman and her family remain at home, and Vancouver Coastal Health is monitoring the entire group.
The woman tested positive for coronavirus on Monday night, Henry said.
“This is not a surprise to us,” Henry said. “We did expect with all the work that we’re doing with public health to monitor and assess people to the low threshold that we have in this province to test anybody that we have any concerns about. It shows us that our system is working.”
She noted that the public needn’t be extremely alarmed, but it should remain vigilant. Particularly during the influenza season, it’s extremely to important to wash hands frequently and to cover when you cough or sneeze.
“There are many reasons we all need to be extra vigilant, particularly in these next few weeks, when we’re able to get a better sense of whether we can contain this virus,” Henry said.
“If you are somebody who has been in Hubei province (in China) within the last two weeks, it’s really important right now that you take these measures to keep away from others and to consider staying home (and) keeping your children home.”
Henry will be holding a press conference every Tuesday to update the public on the spread of the virus.