February 7, 2020 COVID-19 report
Dear RNAO member,
Happy Friday everyone – we are thrilled to celebrate with you the arrival of repatriated Canadians from China and wish them an uneventful quarantine. The 190 individuals arrived at CFB Trenton this morning at 6:30 am. They were immediately processed and are now quarantined for 14 days, to protect themselves and others. We hear their mood was one of relief.
To our nursing and other health professional colleagues at CFB Trenton – thank you for being there! Please pass on our welcome, best wishes and let each one know that while we understand being quarantined in a small room for 14 days is unpleasant, we are thinking of them and sending love and good thoughts.
Public health officials have worked closely with hospitals in the region, as if there is a need, persons will be transferred to one depending on their medical condition.
Please see here the situational report #14 dated Feb. 07, 2020, which we received this evening from the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) about the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Worldwide, the virus has infected 31,480 people and killed 638 people, mainly in China. Authorities in China have restricted travel to contain the outbreak.
The number of confirmed cases reported to us today by the EOC, in Canada, is seven – three of these in Ontario and four in BC. All are recovering at home in self-isolation. At this time, there are 39 persons under investigation with lab results pending.
The EOC has provided this evening additional important resources. See an updated Case Definition in English here and in French here. See also an important instruction sheet here for persons of the public regarding the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Ontario and what to do in the event they have been asked to self-isolate; as well as a guidance document here for persons living with someone in self-isolation. Lastly, here are instructions for Public Health coordination and management; as well as an updated version of the Public Health Management of Cases and Contacts of 2019-nCoV here.
We hope you found helpful the excellent Q&A distributed to you yesterday re- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Supply, Distribution and Stewardship. We want to reinforce that health professional’s needs are being attended to, for supplies - including N95 masks, according to risk assessment needs. Health care providers -- in particular acute care settings and paramedic services -- facing immediate challenges with their personal protective equipment supply levels can email the ministry at EOCLogistics.MOH@ontario.ca.
RNAO wants to continue to hear from you and your teams should you be experiencing any challenges – please send your emails directly to me at dgrinspun@rnao.ca. You can also access the health provider hotline and website regarding questions about the outbreak, protocols, preparedness, and more. The toll free number is 1-866-212-2272, and the health provider website, updated regularly with useful resources, can be accessed here. An important reminder that the health provider website and the toll free number are for you – as a health professional – and not for members of the general public.
The ministry’s public website on the novel coronavirus exists to inform the general public – encourage your family and friends to know about this public website. We also have information for the public on our website at www.rnao.ca which we update daily.
RNAO wants to express its appreciation and respect to Government and Public Health Officials for the outstanding work and responsiveness to our questions and recommendations. Even bigger thanks, today, for bringing Canadians back home.
To the Canadian citizens repatriated from Wuhan, welcome to Canada!
To Canadians, being quarantined on the ships, we are thinking of you and hoping to have you all back home soon!
To all our health professionals in Ontario, and especially those in CFB Trenton, again and again a huge THANKS from us all!!!!!!!!
Doris Grinspun, RN,MSN, PhD, LLD(hon), Dr(hc), FAAN, O.ONT
Chief Executive Officer / RNAO