Ontario confirms 4 new cases of novel coronavirus

Ontario health officials have now confirmed four new cases of novel coronavirus in the province, bringing the total diagnoses in Canada to 24.

Officials say all four patients who tested positive for the virus, known as COVID-19, had recently travelled overseas.

The latest confirmed positive case is a Toronto man in his fifties who currently lives in Vaughan. He is the brother of one of Toronto’s recently reported cases. Both men had recently travelled to Iran. The patient did not develop symptoms until after he arrived back in Canada, officials say. He was tested at Mackenzie Health Hospital in Richmond Hill last Friday and is currently in self-isolation.

Another case is a man in his forties from York Region. He recently returned from Iran with his wife and toddler but was asymptomatic on all flights. His wife was confirmed to have the virus on Saturday.

The third is a man in his sixties from Toronto who returned from Iran on Sunday. He went to York General Hospital’s emergency department on Friday and informed the hospital of a cough and his recent travel history. He was assessed and sent home on the same day where he remains in self-isolation. Toronto Public Health is actively engaged in contact tracing and case management.

The fourth person is a Newmarket woman in her seventies. She was in Egypt recently with another person who was diagnosed with the virus. She was tested at Southlake Regional Health Centre on Saturday and is currently in self-isolation. “York Region Public Health is working diligently on its usual process of risk assessment and contact follow up,” said health officials in a news release.

There have now been 15 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario, though the first three patients have since been cleared of the virus.

The province says while the virus is not circulating locally, Ontario is actively working with city and health partners to plan for the potential spread of the virus.

Ontario’s chief medical officer of health will be holding a news conference at 3 p.m. Monday to provide an update on the situation.