THUNDER BAY – According to Thunder Bay’s Medical Officer of Health, the risk of community transmission from the city’s first confirmed case of COVID-19 is low. The news changes little about how health authorities or the community should be responding to the virus, Dr. Janet DeMille said.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit announced Friday that a resident in his 60s had tested positive, while his wife was a presumed case – her test results will arrive in the coming days. The couple had recently returned from a week-long trip to Florida.
DeMille wouldn’t comment on the nature of the trip, but said she believed the couple left before authorities had issued clear guidance against travelling. Canadians were advised to avoid all non-essential travel by the federal government on March 13.
“[The trip] was several weeks ago, so I think that was before some of the stronger recommendations,” DeMille said.
Based on when the couple developed symptoms, DeMille does not believe there was any risk to those on the same flight into Thunder Bay, saying the couple would not yet have been infectious. Health authorities have said people typically become infectious about 24 hours before the onset of symptoms, though DeMille says that benchmark may change as we learn more about the virus.
“At the present time, I don’t believe there was any elevated risk on that flight,” she said. “We need to get more details, but I do know they did not have symptoms while on that flight, and… I believe, pending further analysis of the data, they would not have been infectious at that time.”
The health unit says the couple remained in self-isolation after returning to Thunder Bay, following directions from public health authorities, who have asked (and now required) Canadians to self-isolate for 14 days after returning from international travel.
DeMille said their decision to follow public health advice, including calling the health unit to report their symptoms, likely prevented any further spread of the virus. She expressed her hope that other Thunder Bay residents returning from travel will take the same steps.
“The value of people taking the appropriate precautions is huge, because it minimizes people who may have been exposed,” she said. “I’m very thankful to them for having done that – they’ve helped themselves, and they’ve helped the community.”
“At this present time, I’m satisfied they followed all appropriate precautions and that there’s no risk from these individuals of having started some community spread. What I’m more concerned about is the people who are coming back who are not self-isolating or not following up with us when they have symptoms. That’s more of a risk.”
The couple remain at home with symptoms that have not, so far, required medical intervention.
