On March 12, 2020, Dr. David Williams, Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health and Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Medical Officer of Health for Halton Region confirmed the second case of COVID-19 in Halton region.
A female Oakville resident in her 40s who had travelled to Colorado earlier this month became symptomatic on March 7 and on March 10 presented herself to Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington for testing. As per established infection prevention and control protocols, the hospital took all precautions, including testing in an isolated environment with all necessary personal protective equipment. On March 11 she was notified of her positive test result and is now self-isolating at home.
The individual also has recent travel history to Costa Rica. It has been determined that she had mild symptoms on flights from Toronto to Liberia, Costa Rica (Flight 2644; WestJet) on March 7 and then Liberia, Costa Rica to Toronto (Flight 2643; WestJet) on March 9, 2020. For the passengers on these flights, we are asking them to self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days and should they develop symptoms, isolate immediately and report themselves to their local public health unit.
Halton Region Public Health is actively engaged in contact tracing and case management.
“I would like to reassure residents that the risk in our community remains low at this time and we are working to identify known contacts and assess any potential health risk,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Medical Officer of Health.
"When the individual came to Joseph Brant Hospital for testing, it was completed in an isolated environment, with our care team following all infection prevention protocols and procedures,” said Eric Vandewall, President and Chief Executive Officer at Joseph Brant Hospital. “Our hospital is taking all necessary precautions to keep our patients, our visitors and our physicians and staff safe.”
Contact Halton Region Public Health by calling 311, 905-825-6000 or toll free at 1-866-442-5866 if you have a fever OR cough OR breathing difficulty AND any of the following:
- travelled outside of Canada in the 14 days before onset of illness; or
- close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19; or
- close contact with a person with acute respiratory illness who travelled to affected areas within 14 days prior to their illness onset.
The best way to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 is to:
- stay home when ill;
- cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve;
- wash hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand rub; and
- clean and disinfect objects and surfaces.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed by regularly reviewing credible information sources. For more information on COVID-19 including symptoms, risk and when to contact Halton Region Public Health, please visit halton.ca/coronavirus. To get the latest information on cases in Ontario and to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19, please visit ontario.ca/coronavirus.
The Regional Municipality of Halton serves 580,000 residents in the City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton, and the Town of Oakville. Halton Region is committed to meeting the needs of its residents through the delivery of cost-effective, quality programs and services, including water and wastewater; Regional roads and planning; paramedic services; waste management; public health; social assistance; children’s and seniors’ services; housing services; heritage programs; emergency management and economic development. For more information, call 311 or visit Halton Region’s website at halton.ca.
Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH) is a full service community teaching hospital serving more than 185,000 residents in the communities of Halton and Hamilton, including Burlington, Waterdown, Flamborough, Milton and Stoney Creek, with a skilled staff of 194 physicians, 1,911 full- and part-time staff and more than 700 volunteers. In conjunction with McMaster University, JBH is a Clinical Education site, and designated as an Academic Community Teaching Hospital with an expanded campus which includes the seven-storey state-of-art Michael Lee-Chin & Family Patient Tower which features a new Emergency Department, 172 acute inpatient beds, 9 new Operating Rooms and post-anaesthetic care unit to support expanded medical, surgical and outpatient services. JBH is also a partner member of the Burlington Ontario Health Team. For more information, visit www.josephbranthospital.ca.
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Kosturik
Communications Specialist
Halton Region
905-825-6000, ext. 3260
Cell: 289-259-3658
elizabeth.kosturik@halton.ca
Janelle Eade
Manager, Corporate Communications
Joseph Brant Hospital
905-632-3737, ext. 2062
Cell: 905-869-4821
jeade@josephbranthospital.ca