Novel coronavirus (COVID-19)

BCCDC is monitoring an outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and is working with provincial and federal partners on surveillance, diagnostic testing and infection control measures.

The information below is for health care professionals and public health partners. You can find information for the general public here.

What's new: week of March 9

Guidance

Who to test

Testing is available for patients with compatible symptoms (e.g. fever, cough, or difficulty breathing) AND history of travel to affected areas including China (mainland), Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea two weeks prior to illness onset or other index of suspicion (e.g,. contact with an ill person with such travel history).

Testing and laboratory guidance

Testing requires notification and consultation with the local Medical Health Officer and the BCCDC PHL Medical Microbiologist on-call (604-661-7033).

Infection control in health care facilities

Masks and personal protective equipment

  • Patients under investigation should be managed with contact and droplet precautions (including eye protection) 
  • Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs and throat swabs can be performed using contact and droplet precautions with surgical mask and eye protection, and do not require the use of an N95 respirator.
  • Airborne precautions including N95 respirators with eye protection should be used during aerosol-generating procedures (e.g. open suctioning of respiratory tract, intubation, bronchoscopy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation). 
Guidance documents 
  • Respiratory protection guidance - March 6, 2020
    This document includes guidance on personal protective equipment for NP and throat swabs and for aerosol generating medical procedures in health care settings
Facilities
Note: If you are seeking consultation or have further questions about novel coronavirus as a health care provider or for a health care facility, contact your local public health unit. Information is available at: bccdc.ca/contact.

Events and mass gatherings


Case management

Case definition

Clinicians should consult with their local Medical Health Officer with questions, concerns or for guidance related to cases suspected of COVID-19 infection.

Surveillance case definitions are intended for public health surveillance and reporting purposes and may not apply to clinical practice. Public health practitioners are asked to review the case definition for reporting novel coronavirus regularly as it is subject to frequent updates.

Case Management

Interim guidelines for public health management of cases and contacts associated with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community have been developed and added to the Communicable Disease Control Manual. The guidelines include:

Clinical care


Patient Handout: COVID-19

Additional resources:

Case Counts

Confirmed COVID-19 cases

A novel coronavirus, now known as SARS-CoV-2, was identified as the cause of an outbreak of a disease known as COVID-19. Cases have been reported in multiple jurisdictions across China and outside China in a number of countries. 

Note: Case counts are based on available information and are subject to change.
 

Global

For the latest global case counts, please visit see the WHO situation reports, available here.

Canada

For the latest Canadian updates, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada website. 

British Columbia - March 12, 2020:

  • 53 confirmed cases including:
    • Four individuals who have recovered
    • One individual who has died.
  • 2,008 individuals and 2,803 samples* tested as of March 6.

* The number of samples tested will be higher than the number of individuals tested because some individuals are tested more than once.

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