2 more Quebec coronavirus cases confirmed, bringing count to 7

2 more Quebec coronavirus cases confirmed, bringing count to 7 |Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a $1-billion package Wednesday

Quebec is asking health workers to not travel to foreign countries for work or pleasure. Students returning from trips in countries trapped in the COVID-19 crisis will be isolated for 14 days.

Premier François Legault made the announcements Wednesday morning following confirmation of two new cases of coronavirus.

Legault said the directives would be issued later Wednesday. Legault also said Quebec is also examining the possibility of cancelling some international events. They are to be examined on a case-by-case basis. A decision is expected later Wednesday on the World Figure Skating Championships, which are set to begin in Montreal on Monday.

Quebec’s Health Ministry confirmed late Tuesday that two more cases of coronavirus have been detected in the province, bringing the total number of cases identified thus far to seven.

The latest cases involve one individual who returned from the Caribbean and Miami and another who returned from the Dominican Republic.

The first patient is being treated at the Jewish General Hospital while the second is following self-isolation protocols.

Provincial health officials added that from now on, cases will be confirmed or dismissed at the provincial level rather than automatically undergo a second analysis at the Nation Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. A second analysis will be conducted only if the result obtained in Quebec seems uncertain.

Also Tuesday, Quebec public-health officials said that one of the Quebecers with COVID-19 took public transit between Montreal’s South Shore and Old Montreal on Feb. 24 and March 6.

On Feb. 24, the infected person travelled by métro from the Longueuil station to Champs-de-Mars, transferring at Berri-UQAM, between 2 and 2:30 p.m., and returned by the same route between 3:15 and 3:45. Between 3:50 and 5 p.m. the same day, they rode the No. 88 bus from Longueuil station toward Mountainview Blvd. Anyone who may have used those routes during those times should call 811 if they had symptoms between Feb. 24 and March 9.

On March 6, the infected person travelled from the Longueuil station to Champs-de-Mars, again transferring at Berri-UQAM, between 9:30 and 10 a.m. They then travelled from Champs-de-Mars to Longueuil between 10:50 and 11:20 a.m. They then took the No. 88 bus from Longueuil station toward Mountainview Blvd. between 11:30 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. Anyone who may have used those routes should call 811 if they develop symptoms by March 20.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a $1-billion package Wednesday to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, the Canadian Press reports.

The money will help buy masks and other supplies for health-care workers, as well as funding research for a vaccine.
The Liberals are loosening restrictions on employment insurance payments for people who are off work due to illness by waiving the waiting period for benefits.

This would also make it easier for people with more precarious jobs to stay home and avoid infecting others, by quickly getting them money so there isn’t a disruption in income.

Trudeau says the government is already preparing to do more if need be to provide the right kind of support to Canadians as the situation progresses.

There are few confirmed instances of community transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 in Canada, but the number of cases continues to grow.

So far, there have been 94 confirmed cases of the illness in Canada.

Trudeau says Canada has been fortunate so far but the country needs to be prepared for all scenarios.

Montreal went into alert mode on Tuesday. Air Canada cancelled all flights between Canada and Italy.

Montreal’s transit agency is stepping up hygiene measures in hopes of stalling or preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

In a statement, Société de transport de Montréal spokesperson Philippe Déry said the transit authority “is in close contact with public health authorities, which are keeping us informed of the situation, any cases that might concern us and the measures to be taken.”

He said the experts consulted have said the risk of transmission on public transit is low, as the virus does not survive more than three hours on dry surfaces.

The STM has begun to increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting buses, paratransit minibuses, métro trains and stations to once a week. The STM has also distributed disinfectant wipes to STM station agents, operators and drivers of buses and paratransit minibuses.

“Authorities are recommending that if customers (or employees) have fever or cough symptoms, they should contact the public health line (dial 811) and stay off public transit. Further instructions will then be provided to these customers,” Déry said.

He added that the STM’s emergency response team is following the situation closely and preparing a contingency plan.

Meanwhile, Collège international Marie de France in Côte-des-Neiges has closed all secondary classes for students aged 15 to 17 after a student was suspected of contracting the coronavirus.

The decision — made to prevent any potential spread of the virus — is effective Wednesday and was transmitted to parents by French embassy and consular officials.

College officials said that should the student test negative, classes will immediately resume. If the case is confirmed, classes will be shut down for 14 days.

All other levels at the school are unaffected by the shutdown.

As of Wednesday morning, Quebec health officials had seven confirmed cases of the virus in the province, no probable cases, had 91 persons under observation and had confirmed that 465 tests had produced negative results.

-MONTREAL GAZETTE & PRESSE CANADIENNE

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