Question Period Note: Coronavirus

• The health and safety of all Canadians is our top priority.
• The public health risk within Canada remains low to moderate depending on health status and age.
• We are taking action to prepare for the onset and sustained spread of the virus in Canada.
• We continue to engage with our international, provincial and territorial partners to monitor the situation and to share information on responses to the outbreak.

If pressed… Grand Princess cruise ship
• Given our shared border, Canada recognizes the importance of working together with the United States to limit the spread of COVID-19 within North America and beyond.
• In response to a request for assistance from the Government of the United States, we are repatriating Canadians aboard the Grand Princess.
• Canadian passengers will be flown to Canadian Forces Base Trenton, after which they will be assessed and undergo a 14-day quarantine.

If pressed … Canada’s response to Pandemic preparedness
• We are planning for all possible scenarios and basing our response on evidence as the science of COVID-19 continues to emerge.
• This is a rapidly evolving situation and over the last few days, we are seeing an increasing number of positive cases reported in Canada and internationally.
• Public health authorities across Canada are working together to ensure that our preparedness and response measures are appropriate and adaptable, based on the latest science and the evolving situation.
• We have robust federal, provincial and territorial pandemic preparedness plans, as well emergency response plans in place to respond to a pandemic situation.
• We have multiple systems in place and are working closely with provincial, territorial and international partners to prepare for, detect and respond to, and prevent the spread of serious infectious diseases in Canada.

If pressed …on cases in Canada
• As of right March 9, we have 69 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 reported nationally, including: 32 in Ontario, 27 in British Columbia, 4 in Quebec and 6 in Alberta.
• Most of Canada’s cases include travellers from an affected area or their close contacts. In addition, colleagues in British Columbia have identified 2 cases of COVID-19 in residents of a long-term care facility as part of their investigation into an individual who contracted COVID-19 in the community.
• New cases in Canada also include 6 individuals connected to the first leg of the Grand Princess cruise ship voyage who were onboard between February 11th and 21st. Provinces are investigating additional clinical cases with possible links to the cruise ship.

If pressed …New Cabinet Committee – COVID-19
• On March 4, we established a Cabinet Committee on the federal response to the COVID-19.
• The committee is meeting regularly to ensure we are taking a whole-of-government leadership, coordination, and preparedness for a response to the health and economic impacts of the virus, with other orders of other orders of government, to prepare for the onset and sustained spread of COVID-19 in Canada.

If pressed …Grand Princess Cruise Ship – California
• Ensuring the safety and security of Canadians abroad and at home is our top priority. There are 235 Canadians on the ship’s manifest.

• We are in contact with the U.S. and the cruise line and we are monitoring the situation closely.
• We are also aware that previous passengers of the Grand Princess have tested positive for COVID-19. Follow up is underway with all these passengers. Two in Canada have tested positive.

If pressed …Canadians in affected areas abroad
• Our Government takes the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and we continue monitoring the situation closely.
• Canadians should consult our Travel Advice and Advisories for up-to-date information on the situation.
• We stand ready to provide consular assistance to Canadian citizens as required.
• Canadians in need of assistance should contact their nearest consular office.

If pressed … Quarantine –NAV Centre/Cornwall
• On March 6, 2020, 129 repatriated individuals at the NAV CENTRE were released from quarantine.
• These individuals remained asymptomatic for COVID-19 throughout the 14-day quarantine period and, as a result, they pose no risk to others and can safely return to their communities and to their usual activities.

If pressed … Passengers who have tested positive on the Cruise ship in Japan
• As of March 5 2020, Fifty six (56) Canadian passengers of the Diamond Princess tested positive for COVID-19. Of those, twenty five (25) are hospitalized with three (3) in critical condition, and the remainder are in stable condition. Thirty one (31) Canadians have been released from the hospital after two negative test results.
• Those who remain in Japan will continue to receive full consular services from the Government of Canada.
• Government of Canada employees are on the ground in Japan to assist with the response effort.
• Four former Diamond Princess cruise passengers currently in quarantine at the BC Quarantine Site will be released today.

If pressed … Border Measures
• We have general messaging in all airports as well as a general handout for all international travellers advising them to self-monitor and to call local public health authorities if they experience symptoms.
• Anyone who is sick is asked to self-identify to Border Services Agent.

• We provide advice for all travellers, through regularly updated Travel Health Notices based on the evolving situation with COVID-19.
• Canada has expanded its awareness activities at land borders and is providing general information to travellers who seek entry into Canada.

Coronaviruses
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can cause a wide range of respiratory symptoms (‘common cold’ type symptoms to bronchitis or pneumonia) in humans. Two specific coronaviruses which have previously been associated with outbreaks of severe respiratory disease, SARS and MERS, were ruled out as the cause of the Wuhan cluster.

Current Situation
We are working collectively with the global community under the leadership of the World Health Organization and are in constant communication with our provincial and territorial counterparts.
Public health authorities across Canada at all levels of government are working together to adapt our response to this rapidly changing situation. We are reviewing existing resources and systems to ensure we are prepared to address all scenarios and base our response measures on evidence as the science of the novel coronavirus continues to emerge.
While the large majority of cases are in mainland China, this virus has now been detected in an increasing number of countries around the world, including community spread in some of these countries. It is prudent that we prepare for the possibility that the virus could spread further. However, we need to plan for all possible scenarios
Travellers returning to Canada from areas affected by the COVID-19 outbreak should be attentive to messages and instructions being provided at Canadian airports. They will be asked about their travel history and may be asked further questions about their health.
As of March 6, 2020 (11:15 EST), forty nine (49) cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Canada. Twenty six (26) in Ontario, twenty one (21) in B.C. and two (2) in Quebec.
Two (2) new presumptive cases have been identified. One (1) in Alberta and one (1) in Quebec.
Contact tracing and public health management for all cases are being undertaken by relevant provincial and local public health officials.
Quarantine sites have been established in BC and Alberta for Princess Diamond passengers who did not return on the Government of Canada repatriation flight and present themselves at a port of entry.
Identification of additional cases of COVID-19 in Canada is expected due to the volume of international travel. The assessment of the public health risk within Canada is low to moderate depending on health status and age.
There have also been weekly communications with provincial and territorial public health partners via the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health, the Canadian Network for Public Health Intelligence, the Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network, relevant federal partners, and other relevant networks to share currently available information and identify appropriate resources for, among other things, infection prevention and control as well as public health management.
In addition, the Public Health Agency of Canada, through Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, is also in close contact with provincial and territorial Chief Medical Officers of Health to share information, coordinate response efforts, and support informed vigilance as the situation evolves both domestically and internationally.

Current Case Counts
China
As March 6, 2020 (08:00 EST), Mainland China has reported 80552 of COVID-19 across all provinces cases with 3042 deaths.
81% of all cases identified globally have been in mainland China. China continues to introduce and enforce exceptional measures intended to limit further transmission of the virus.

International
As of March 6, 2020 (08:00 EST), 19020 cases of COVID-19, 359 reported deaths, have been confirmed in 86 countries/jurisdictions outside of Mainland China and aboard one international conveyance.
Four new countries/jurisdictions reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours: Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Palestine and South

Africa
As of March 6, South Korea reported 6,284, Italy 3,858, Iran 4,747, Japan 349 and France 423 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Public Health Activities in Canada
PHAC continues ongoing monitoring, intelligence gathering and international engagement to inform Canadian public health action. Canada also continues to collaborate with federal, provincial, and territorial partners to share information and ensure Canadian readiness to respond should a case present in Canada. Specific activities include:
• Activation of the Health Portfolio Operations Centre (HPOC) to Level 3, Partial Escalation, which supports effective planning and coordination of preparedness activities across the Agency;
• Development and implementation of new diagnostic tests by PHAC’s National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) to identify the COVID-19;
• Issuance of a Travel Health Notice (THN) to provide the latest information and recommendations for individuals travelling to, and returning from, China;
• Development of infection prevention and control (IPC) and public health guidance to support front-line workers;
• Development of a national case definition to aid with surveillance efforts and consistent reporting;
• Distribution of a general Occupational Health Advisory to departments and agencies with information about COVID-19 and working with Global Affairs Canada to ensure that federal employees in affected countries have all the occupational health information they require; and,
• Communicating weekly with provincial/territorial public health partners via the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health (CCMOH), the Canadian Network for Public Health Intelligence (CNPHI), the Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network (CPHLN), relevant federal partners, and other relevant networks to share currently available information and identify appropriate resources for investigation and reporting of cases of COVID-19 as well as for infection prevention and control and public health management.

Domestic Surveillance
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is engaged, and standard traveller screening procedures are in place to prevent the introduction and spread of communicable diseases into Canada.
Existing screening procedures have been augmented to include messaging on arrivals screens at airports reminding travellers to inform a border service officer if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms. An additional screening question has been added to electronic kiosks and travellers are receiving handouts.

International Surveillance
China has implemented exceptional measures to reduce further spread of the virus, including transportation shutdowns, exit screening, strict infection prevention and control measures, closure of public and commercial spaces and limiting or canceling of large public gatherings.
Several countries and autonomous regions (e.g., Iran, Italy, South Korea, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand) have increased public health vigilance, with temperature screening at ports of entry and/or statutory reporting of pneumonia of unknown cause for cases of acute respiratory illness.

Research
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Government of Canada has been working with provinces, territories, and international partners to protect the health and well-being of Canadians. As more countries begin to deal with COVID-19 outbreaks, the Government of Canada is investing in Canadian researchers to learn more about this novel coronavirus and to develop tools and resources to combat it.
To further contribute to global efforts to address the COVID-19 outbreak, today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Canada’s Minister of Health, and the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced an investment of nearly $27 million to fund coronavirus research. Due to the overwhelming response to the call for research applications, the Government of Canada increased its original investment from $7 million to $27 million. This investment will support 47 research teams from across Canada that will focus on accelerating the development, testing, and implementation of measures to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. The Ministers made the announcement with the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, and the Honourable Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board.
The research will help inform clinical and public health responses, develop and evaluate diagnostic tools and vaccines, as well as create strategies to tackle misinformation, stigma, and fear. The Government of Canada is providing the funding for this research through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) through the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and Genome Canada (GC).

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