B.C. confirms second case of novel coronavirus in resident with family visiting from Wuhan
British Columbia has announced a second “presumptive confirmed” case of the novel coronavirus.
The case will still need to be confirmed by a second test at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg, but health officials say they expect it to return positive.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province’s chief medical health officer, made the announcement Tuesday, and said the patient was a woman who had contact with family visiting from Wuhan, China.
READ MORE: B.C. has tested 114 people for the novel coronavirus, but has only confirmed 1 case
Henry said the woman, a resident of the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) region in her 50s, and her family remain at her home, and VCH is following up with the entire group.
“The test came back positive yesterday, and Vancouver Coastal is doing the detailed investigations today,” said Henry.
“We’ll be testing, we’ll also be making sure that they trace back any movements that these people have had, and make sure we are in contact with anybody that may have had close contact with any of them.”
Henry said the woman showed symptoms several days ago and was tested at hospital, but was returned to isolation at home where she remains in stable condition.
She described the family as a “small group” though would not specify how many they were. Henry said VCH was still investigating whether any of the other family members are showing symptoms.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province's chief medical health officer, committed to providing weekly Tuesday updates on the virus last week.
globalnews.ca