“To be cautious, we are continuing to monitor the situation in China and internationally,” stated Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, chief medical officer for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU), which covers the Prescott-Russell area, among other regions. “Although the risk to our region is low at this point, we are prepared to respond to any potential cases in our area, should they occur.”

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Coronavirus : le BSEO surveille la situation de près

The specific coronavirus involved in the current public health alert, first appeared in the Wuhan region of China, and other cases of the disease have appeared around the globe, including one confirmed case in the United States. Two cases are now confirmed in Ontario, and federal and provincial health authorities are working with local agencies to monitor the situation.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, which can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to more severe forms like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The coronavirus which has created concerns is called 2019 Novel  Coronavirus (2019 NC).

Symptoms of the virus may seem like pneumonia or other types of respiratory illness. Right now the confirmed cases are limited to people who either live in Wuhan province or visited there within the past two to three weeks, or had contact with someone from there.

Anyone who has visited China and returned within the past month or more should check if they show any symptoms and call their doctor.