A man in his 40’s is the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Ottawa. Health officials are looking into whether there is evidence the virus known as COVID-19 is spreading within the community. Ottawa Public Health says the 40-year-old man contracted the virus from travel to Austria and is currently self isolating. Two other new cases are people in their 30’s from Toronto and Halton Region who recently travelled to the United States.
The symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus, can include fever and cough and are similar to other respiratory infections. Symptoms range from mild – like the flu and other common respiratory infections – to severe, and can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Complications from the 2019 novel coronavirus can include serious conditions, like pneumonia or kidney failure, and in some cases, death.
There is no vaccine available to protect against the 2019 novel coronavirus however you can take part in everyday actions to help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses. Take these everyday steps to reduce exposure to the virus and protect your health:
- wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- sneeze and cough into your sleeve
- avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
- avoid contact with people who are sick
- stay home if you are sick
Your risk of severe disease may be higher if you have a weakened immune system. This may be the case for:
- older people
- people with chronic disease (for example, diabetes, cancer, heart, renal or chronic lung disease)
The following locations have been identified as affected areas:
- China (mainland)
- Hong Kong
- Iran
- Italy
- Japan
- Singapore
- South Korea
More info is available online here.
