NFN: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

Press Release

March 12, 2020

The Ontario Ministry of Health assesses the risk to Ontarians as low and continues to carefully monitor this situation and encourage residents to stay informed by regularly reviewing credible information sources. Our Community Health Nurse is also actively monitoring this situation.

As of March 12, 2020, 93 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Canada.

Province, territory or other	Number of probable cases	Number of confirmed cases
British Columbia	0	46
Alberta	0	19
Saskatchewan	1	0
Manitoba	1	0
Ontario	0	59
Quebec	0	13
New Brunswick	1	0
Repatriated Canadians	0	1
Total cases	3	138

The Public Health Agency of Canada currently assesses the public health risk associated with COVID-19 as low for the general population in Canada but this could change rapidly. There is an increased risk of more severe outcomes for Canadians:

aged 65 and over
with compromised immune systems
with underlying medical conditions

Click HERE for updates from Health Canada on COVID-19.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) assessed COVID-19 as a pandemic. This assessment by the WHO is not unexpected. Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change the WHO’s assessment of the threat posed by COVID-19 and it does not change what the WHO is doing. It also does not change what countries around the world should do. For that reason, it does not change the approach we are taking in Canada. Canada’s public health system is prepared.

Preparing for COVID-19

Simple hygiene practices can help you stay healthy:

Regular handwashing (20 seconds with soap is most effective) or using alcohol-based sanitizer
Not touching your face
Covering your cough or sneeze
Staying home when sick
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet, exercise and enough sleep, to enhance your body’s immune system.
Getting a flu shot. You are more likely to contract influenza than COVID-19 and being sick lowers your immunity to other germs.
If you need to self-isolate, please follow the advice from your healthcare provider.

For more information on how to protect yourself and how to recognize possible symptoms, please click on the links below:

Symptoms of COVID-19

Common signs include fever, and respiratory symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia and acute respiratory distress. For more information please visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Novel Coronavirus infection: Symptoms and treatment webpage

As with other illnesses, you should connect with a health care provider if you experience: