The federal government is asking travellers coming from Hubei province to voluntarily isolate themselves for 14 days.
鈥淚f you have travelled to Hubei province in the last 14 days, limit your contact with others for a total of 14 days from the date you left Hubei,鈥� reads on the virus.
鈥淭his means self-isolate and stay at home (蝉颈肠).鈥�
The request marks an escalation from the country鈥檚 top health officials, who until recently have asked returning travellers to monitor their health and seek medical attention if they have any symptoms of novel coronavirus. 聽聽聽
Symptoms of the virus include a fever, cough and difficulty breathing.
As the research and data on the virus continues to grow and evolve, the government says it will continue to adapt its advice for travellers.
Some evidence, according to Dr. Theresa Tam, the country鈥檚 chief public health officer, suggests the coronavirus may spread to others even when symptoms are in early stages or the illness is mild.
1/3 Some evidence suggests may spread to others even when symptoms are very early or the illness is mild. Maintaining and is key to prevent spread of .
鈥� Dr. Theresa Tam (@CPHO_Canada)
The federal government isn鈥檛 the only agency requesting travellers to self-isolate. Earlier this week, asked anyone in the province who has recently travelled to Hubei to consider staying home, and keeping their children home, for two weeks.
That request also extends to anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has recently come to Canada from Hubei, according to a joint statement Friday from 叠.颁.鈥檚 health minister, Adrian Dix, and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
However, both B.C. and federal health officials state the risk to Canadians and to British Columbians remains low.
鈥淲e are watching the evolution of the outbreak in China very closely and will notify the public if the measures we need to take in B.C. change,鈥� reads Friday鈥檚 statement from Dix and Henry.
Wuhan, Hubei鈥檚 capital city of about 11 million people and the epicentre of the outbreak, has been on an unprecedented lockdown since Jan. 23. The lockdown was eventually extended to all cities in Hubei province, affecting nearly 60 million people.
As of Feb. 8, the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg has confirmed seven positive cases of novel coronavirus in Canada, and 191 negative cases, according to the federal government. While provincial health authorities can test for novel coronavirus, these cases are only considered presumptive positive until they are confirmed by the national lab.
Four of the seven confirmed patients are in B.C. in the 麻豆传媒映画Coastal Health (VCH) region, and three are in Ontario.
叠.颁.鈥檚 , a woman in her 50s who lives in the VCH region, contracted the virus from family members who were visiting from Wuhan.
On Thursday, Henry confirmed , a man and a woman, had tested positive for the coronavirus. All are at home in self-isolation.
B.C. has tested a total of for the virus, as of Feb. 5.
