WATCH: Health officials are addressing fears of an Ebola outbreak in North America after a man was diagnosed with the deadly virus in Dallas. Both U.S. and Canadian health officials are going to great lengths to reassure everyone they can contain an outbreak and that the disease is not easily spread. Aarti Pole reports.
CALGARY – Canadian health officials are continuing to reassure Canadians that their risk of coming into contact with Ebola has not changed in light of the recent discovery of the virus in the United States.
In the first case of Ebola on North American soil, an unidentified patient travelled to Dallas from Liberia, becoming sick four days after he entered the U.S.
On Wednesday, Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose and Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Gregory Taylor held a news conference in Banff to outline what Canada is doing to detect, isolate and treat any possible cases in Canada.
They both say the risk to Canadians is small.
READ MORE: First diagnosed Ebola case in the North America. What happened?
“Yesterday, the Public Health Agency of Canada was made aware of the individual diagnosed with Ebola in the United States. This individual did not travel through Canada.”
“As well, this person was not symptomatic, and therefore not contagious during their travel to the United States,” Ambrose added.
WATCH: Canadian health officials address U.S. Ebola case
Ambrose went on to reassure Canadians that the Ebola virus does not spread easily from person to person, and to highlight the work they are doing to keep Canadians safe.
“Points of entry into Canada are routinely monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is done through the provisions of our quarantine act,” said Ambrose.
READ MORE: Health ministers reassure Canadians about Ebola after first U.S. case
Health officials say if there was ever a confirmed case of Ebola in Canada, they would alert the public immediately.
“Our number one priority is to assure Canadians are protected,” echoed Dr. Taylor.
He says Canada can quickly test for Ebola, and has already checked about 20 suspected cases which have come back negative
“If there’s any suspicion that a person may have Ebola the hospitals immediately isolate that person, draw some samples, and that is sent to our laboratory,” explains Dr. Taylor. “Once that specimen gets to our laboratory, we have a rapid turnaround time of about three hours. We will know whether that’s Ebola or not very quickly.”
Canada has about 1,500 doses of an experimental Ebola vaccine, but has offered 800 to 1,000 doses to the World Health Organization.
WATCH: Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed concerns in the House of Commons Wednesday about what steps his government would be taking to prevent a possible Ebola outbreak in Canada
– With files from The Canadian Press
Comments