THUNDER BAY - With a new virus that has health officials on high alert having officially arrived in North America, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit says residents in the city have little to worry about.
The new Coronavirus was recently discovered in China and has since resulted in 17 deaths as of Wednesday.
On Tuesday it was confirmed that an individual who recently arrived in Washington State from China was infected with the virus, which can be spread from human to human.
Diana Gowanlock, manager of infectious disease, street nursing, and harm reduction programs with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, said they are monitoring the situation and gathering information from health partners.
“It’s a rapidly evolving situation and things are changing rapidly,” she said.
But Gowanlock said it is something residents should be aware of, but whether any confirmed cases will end up in the city is hard to say.
“We are not an international hub,” she said. “Obviously people do travel everywhere, but people are being screened and monitored at international airports if they are returning from China.”
If someone in the city was to be identified with the Coronavirus, Gowanlock said the Health Unit has procedures in place and would work collaboratively with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Public Health Ontario, and the Ministry of Health.
Gowanlock said the Health Unit has received some calls regarding travel related to the virus and while there are no restrictions in place now, she advises anyone with concerns to consult Health Canada’s website, which lists travel restrictions and advisories.
The Coronavirus has been compared to the 2003 SARS outbreak, but Gowanlock said a lot has changed in the past 17 years.
“There’s always a risk with the amount of international travel that takes place,” she said. “But when you compare our situation now versus our situation in Sars in 2003, I think there are a lot better systems in place.”
