2nd case of coronavirus in Ontario confirmed by national lab

A second instance of coronavirus in Ontario has been confirmed by the National Microbiology Lab, the province’s Ministry of Health said Wednesday.

Public Health Ontario first reported the case publicly on Monday, when a test done by provincial authorities came back positive.

The Toronto woman recently travelled to Wuhan, China — the epicentre of the outbreak — with her husband. His was the first confirmed case of the virus in the province.

The pair flew aboard a China Southern Airlines flight from Guangzhou, China, to Toronto.on Jan. 22. The city’s chief medical officer said this week that Toronto Public Health has contacted most of the people who sat in close proximity of the couple on the flight.

Meanwhile, health officials in British Columbia say a man in his 40s is presumed to have coronavirus and is doing well as he recovers at home.

There are now more than 6,000 cases reported in China and aboard — surpassing the number of people infected during the 2003 SARS outbreak. Chinese officials say 132 people have died from the virus.

Several countries have begun moving their citizens out of Wuhan, including the U.S. and Japan. Global Affairs Canada says there are 126 Canadians currently seeking the federal government’s help to leave the city of more than 11 million people.

CBC