A B.C. dentist who attended a Vancouver dental conference at the centre of a novel coronavirus outbreak in the city has died of suspected COVID-19 complications, Global News has learned.
Dr. Denis Vincent of North Vancouver attended the Pacific Dental Conference, which took place at the Vancouver Convention Centre from March 5-7.
The Ministry of Health said it could not immediately comment, saying the next update is expected Tuesday afternoon.
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At Monday’s update on B.C.’s coronavirus response, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked about COVID-19 cases related to the conference.
She confirmed about 20 people in B.C. who attended the conference have since tested positive for the virus, as well as a dozen others who are from outside the province.
“It’s one of those things that in retrospect was bad timing and not a good thing to have happened when it did,” said Henry. “But we can’t change that now.”
Henry announced three new coronavirus-related deaths Monday, but said none of them was related to the conference.
Health officials had been following up with everyone exposed at the conference and their close contacts, she said, noting the process had “kept my colleagues in the health authorities busy.”
Last week, she asked all conference attendees to self-isolate after a number of COVID-19 cases were linked to the event.
– with files from Rumina Daya