Ontario has confirmed another case of the novel coronavirus in the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s jurisdiction — a man in his 60s who recently travelled to Austria.
The man presented himself to the Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital on Monday. He is self-isolating and recovering at home.
“The health unit is following up with the contacts of this new case to determine who should self-isolate,” Dr. Charles Gardner, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s medical officer of health, said in a statement.
The fifth local case comes one day after health officials reported the first potential death related to COVID-19 in Ontario, a 77-year-old Barrie man who passed away at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre on March 11 after coming in close contact with another individual who was confirmed to have the virus.
On Tuesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
As of Wednesday, there are 206 active COVID-19 cases in Ontario. There have been 583 confirmed cases in Canada.