B.C. government to provide update on Wuhan coronavirus outbreak
Credit to Author: Tiffany Crawford| Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2020 15:16:58 +0000
The B.C. government will provide an update Friday morning in Vancouver on the coronavirus in this province.
As it is now, there is one confirmed case in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, a man in his 40s, who travelled to Wuhan, the disease epicentre. He is said to be recovering at home.
B.C.’s Minister of Health Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry will speak at 9:30 a.m. at the World Trade Centre Building in Vancouver.
On Thursday, the World Health Organization declared that the coronavirus is a public health emergency of international concern, as the disease continues to spread outside of China.
The number of confirmed cases was 9,800 as of Friday morning, according to Chinese officials, and the number of deaths is 213.
The United States issued a Level 4 warning Thursday for Americans not to travel to China, which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed on Twitter. Level 4 is the country’s highest caution reserved for dangerous situations.
Canada also has travel advisories concerning the coronavirus in China, however its warning remains at Level 3, and advises Canadians to avoid non-essential travel to China, and avoid all travel to Hubei Province, including the city of Wuhan.
Many of the world’s airlines have temporarily stopped flying in and out of China, including Air Canada, which halted all flights to Beijing and Shanghai on Thursday.
Scientists in Wuhan have said a majority of people infected with coronavirus experience fevers and shortness of breath, and the worst cases can lead to organ failure.
Also happening Friday, Italy declared a state of emergency freeing up resources to combat the disease, Russia reported its first two cases, as did the U.K., and Singapore is closing its border to Chinese visitors.
ticrawford@postmedia.com
-With files from Postmedia