The Royal Military College of Canada has confirmed the potentially infected cadet tested negative for the COVID-19 virus Wednesday. See the update to the story here.
Original story below:
An email sent out to Royal Military College of Canada employees says four cadets are in isolation at the Kingston military base as a precautionary measure, after one of the cadets travelled by plane with a B.C. passenger who was later confirmed to have COVID-19.
The email, written by Brigadier-General Sebastien Bouchard, Commandant of RMC was sent to staff Monday evening.
Global News has obtained two identical copies of this email from two separate employees who sent the emails independent of each other. The Department of National Defence confirmed the details of the commandant’s email Tuesday evening.
Bouchard’s email said one of their cadets was informed by British Columbia health authorities Feb. 23 that they may have been “potentially exposed to the virus during an overnight flight from Montreal to Vancouver” over Feb. 13 to Feb. 14.
“One of the passengers on that flight later tested positive as a presumptive confirmed case,” the email read.
Bouchard continued, saying the other three cadets now in isolation at CFB Kingston were in proximity of the other cadet after the latter returned to campus from Montreal on Feb. 23.
The cadets reportedly self-isolated in their rooms the night of Feb. 23, and visited the college’s medical unit early Feb. 24.
The four cadets are currently in isolation at CFB Kingston, undergoing assessment until they test negative for the virus, Bouchard wrote.
The cadet’s rooms have been sealed off for the time being until testing is complete.
The base’s training Wing is apparently attending to the cadets by providing them food and academic materials.
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“Additionally, staff wearing personal protective equipment are retrieving the cadets’ study materials from their dorm rooms, so they may continue their studies during the self-isolation period,” the National Defence statement continued.
According to the commandant and to the Department of National Defence, the risk for infection is low.
The B.C. passenger who tested positive for the novel coronavirus — the passenger who prompted the cadet’s isolation — is a woman in her 30s who was travelling back to Canada from Iran.
She was B.C.’s sixth case of the virus, whereas a man in his 40s connected to her became the seventh case, confirmed by Global News on Monday.
B.C.’s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, said last Thursday when the sixth case was announced that the woman’s virus was relatively mild.
In his email to staff, Bouchard said CFB Kingston’s base surgeon has been in contact with provincial and federal medical authorities to “help ensure the welfare of our officer cadets and the ongoing safety of the community.”
KFL&A Public Health said they would not comment on any COVID-19 investigation unless someone tests positive for the virus in the area.
“It is important to remember that our local health system is well equipped to care for anyone requiring testing, treatment, and isolation (if appropriate),” an emailed statement from Suzette Taggart, manager of communications at Kingston’s public health unit, said.
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