Health officials are “confident” the first case of novel coronavirus has been found in B.C.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday a man in his 40s who regularly travels to China has tested positive for the virus. The man lives in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and is recovering at home in isolation, Henry said.
The case is officially considered “presumptive” until Winnipeg’s National Microbiology Lab confirms the results from B.C. That process can take up to 48 hours, but Henry said officials on the West Coast are certain about the case.
“We are confident that this is truly a case of this novel coronavirus,” Henry said.
The health officer said the man arrived in Vancouver last week. His symptoms did not begin until more than 24 hours after he arrived home.
“He did not go out because he was concerned,” Henry said. “When he had his onset of symptoms, he called ahead and went to a clinic for assessment.”