The Thunder Bay District Health Unit is out with more information on Nipigon’s first case of COVID-19.
The news came out Monday night after Nipigon officials learned about the positive test.
The case is related to travel to Eastern Canada and is not related to any previously reported cases.
This patient travelled on March 19th on Porter flight 222 from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Thunder Bay with stops in Ottawa and Toronto. The Health Unit is asking the flight crew and anyone who sat in rows 8 through 12 on their flight to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.
The individual and several close contacts were self-isolating at home since their return to Nipigon. The individual was tested at the COVID-19 Assessment Center operated by the Nipigon District Memorial Hospital.
The first case of COVID-19 was reported on March 27th and was found in a man in his sixties, who had just spent a week in Florida.
The second case of COVID-19 was in a person in their twenties who returned from the United States, and developed symptoms while self-isolating at home.
The third case of coronavirus was found in the first case’s wife who was with her husband in Florida.
The federal government has enacted the Quarantine Act which requires travellers to self-isolate for 14-days once they return to Canada. Health Unit officials are also urging you to get your news on COVID-19 from credible news sources and that the Health Unit will be confirming any cases which show up in the district.
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre has implemented visitor restrictions as well. An assessment centre is open just outside of the Emergency Department and you are asked to contact Telehealth prior to arriving at the centre.
Screening protocols are also taking place at all city-run and private long term care facilities.
The Ontario government says public and Catholic students won’t be heading back to class until May 4th. Confederation College and Lakehead University are not holding in-person classes.
