Risk of coronavirus for Manitobans still low after global health emergency declared - Action News
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Manitoba

Risk of coronavirus for Manitobans still low after global health emergency declared

Although the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency over coronavirus, a Manitoba health official says people living in the province are at a low risk to get it.

Death toll from virus now more than 200, all in China

The World Health Organization declared a global public health emergency over novel coronavirus. (Carlos Osorio/Reuters)

Although the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency over novel coronavirus, a Manitoba health official says people living in the province are at a low risk to get it.

The province is doing all it needs to do to protect citizens, said Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief provincial health officer.

"Despite the WHO declaring the public health emergency of international concern, the risk for Manitobans regarding novel coronavirus remains low," he saidFriday.

"This declaration from the WHO is not unexpected and a correct step, in my opinion, but it doesn't change our risk assessment in Manitoba at this point."

Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer, says the risk of coronavirus to people in the province is low. (Trevor Brine/CBC)

In Hubei, the Chinese province at the centre of the epidemic, the death toll had risen above 200 and the number ofcases of infection neared 10,000 in China on Thursday, Chinese health authorities said. No deaths have been reported outside of China.

Case numbers are increasing in China, but there's been no widespread transmission outside that country.

The province isn't changing the way it's responding to the outbreak after the WHO declaration, Roussin said.

"This doesn't change our response. We continue to work with the Public Health Agency of Canada and theWHO to monitor and adapt, as needed."

There are no laboratory-confirmed cases in Manitoba, the province said Friday in a news release.

As of Thursday, three tests completed in the province were negative.

Roussin hopes Manitobans will consult trusted health officials for information about the outbreak, including Canada's and Manitoba's public health agencies.

All suspected and confirmed cases of the novel coronavirusmust be reported.

Canada's public health officials are backing what the province is sayingas health authorities across the country continue to monitor the risk and prevent its spread.

Watch Dr. Michael Gardam explain what Canadians should know about the virus

Dr. Michael Gardam on coronavirus risk

5 years ago
Duration 0:46
Infectious disease specialist says risk to Canadians is low

"We see that when viruses start in certain countries, there's a fear and sometimes discrimination towardspeople returning from those countries," Roussin said.

"Fear and discrimination are only going to impair our ability to deal with this public health issue."

What the WHO's global health emergency means

5 years ago
Duration 8:34
Although the WHO has no legal authority to sanction countries, it could ask governments to provide scientific justification for any travel or trade restrictions that they impose in the event of an international emergency.