Top doctors say 62 Ontarians still being tested for coronavirus

Ontario public health officials say 62 people are currently being tested for coronavirus, but reaffirmed the risk to the public remains low.

Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s chief medical officer, and Dr. Barbara Yaffe, the province’s associate chief medical officer, gave a rundown of the situation at Queen’s Park on Thursday morning. Here’s the latest:

• The province has conducted 169 coronavirus tests
• Three people have tested positive — two in Toronto, one in London
• There have been 104 negative tests
• The tests of 62 people are still pending

Yaffe said those still under investigation remain in self-isolation at home or in hospital, and can’t be released from isolation until they receive two negative tests 24 hours apart.

Infectious disease specialists in Toronto and across Canada have said the risk of a widespread outbreak is extremely low.

“The risk right now, in Toronto or in Canada, for the general public … is zero,” Dr. Michael Gardam, chief of staff at Humber River Hospital, told CBC News last week.

“We don’t have any evidence whatsoever, in any of the countries where this has been imported, that we’re seeing spread into the general community.”

Airlift arrived in Wuhan to repatriate Canadians

Meanwhile, a chartered aircraft has touched down in Wuhan, China, to repatriate Canadians stuck in the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, according to flight tracking data.

“We continue to monitor that and look at different ways to ensure the safeguarding of the health of Ontarians,” Williams said Thursday.

Williams said the repatriated Canadians have to be checked by officials in China and upon arriving in Canada, adding that if any of them develop symptoms they will have to go into self-isolation.

CBC