Coronavirus Lands in Canada! Enhanced Screening System Fails its First Test

January 27, 2020

gray-scale-of-air-plane-on-runway-under-cloudy-day — Canada’s first positive novel coronavirus 2019 n-CoV patient is a male in his 50s who had travelled to Wuhan, China. Photo: Pexels

Health Canada’s enhanced screening process to identify possible coronavirus carriers before they enter the country failed its first test.

Novel coronavirus 2019 n-CoV has landed in Canada. Patient zero a man in his 50s, had travelled to Wuhan, China, and is currently in stable condition at zone zero, Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Despite showing symptoms while on the flight to Toronto, the man walked through the enhanced screening process at Pearson International Airport and went home. The following day, he went to the hospital, where he was instantly isolated.

Ontario health officials announced Monday that the wife of Canada’s first confirmed coronavirus case has also contracted the illness. Another 19 people in the province are also under investigation for possible infection.

Like, journalist, Matt Gurney penned in the National Post, “A man flying back from an epidemic hot zone — and who was actively symptomatic upon arrival at an airport that was on the alert — was screened by officials who were fully aware of the danger … and who then let him into the country.

Health officials confirmed on Sunday; they will follow up with staff and the travellers who were within a two-meter radius of the patient on the flight from Guangzhou to Toronto.

On Monday Ontario health officials announced that the wife of Canada’s first confirmed coronavirus case has also contracted the illness. Another 19 people in the province are also under investigation for possible infection.

Read the CBC story: Coronavirus in Canada: What are the next steps to contain the disease here?
Read Matt Gurney feature: Matt Gurney: Health officials can reassure us all they want, but our system failed.

Novel (2019-nCoV) Coronavirus according to the WHO

The latest scientific data suggests that people transmit the virus when they’re in close contact with others.
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases.
Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.
The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a new strain that was initially transmitted from an animal to a person, that has not been previously identified in humans.