The Globe and Mail - 09.03.2020

A8 FOLIO OTHEGLOBEANDMAIL | MONDAY,MARCH9,

The number of novel coronavirus
casesinCanadahasclimbedto
as patients in Alberta doubled to
four and B.C. officials declared an
outbreakatalong-termcarefacil-
ity.
Several of Canada’s cases stem
from a trip on the Grand Princess
cruise ship to Mexico in mid-Feb-
ruary. The close quarters of a
cruise ship has proven to be a fer-
tilebreedinggroundforinfection.
ThreeofAlberta’scasesaretied
to that trip, said Deena Hinshaw,
Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of

Health. A man in his 40s from Ed-

monton, who has been infected,

was not on the voyage. However,

he travelled in the U.S. Midwest

with a companion from British

Columbia who was on the ship,

Dr. Hinshaw told reporters on

Sunday as she announced two

new cases. The man’s companion

is in B.C. and has the COVID-

disease.

Among Alberta’s newest pa-

tients are a man in his 60s from

Edmonton who returned from

thecruiseonFeb.21,andawoman

in her 30s from Calgary. She had

been in close contact with some-

one who had recently travelled in

Ukraine, Turkey and the Nether-

lands.ThatpersonisalsoinAlber-

taandisbeingtestedforthecoro-

navirus.

“This marks four cases in four

days. For many, this may be

alarming.Iwanttounderlinethat

three of these four cases are link-

ed to a single cruise ship,” she

said.

Dr. Hinshaw said health offi-

cials are working to limit the

spread after learning of the new

cases, and the risk of infection re-

mains low in Alberta.

All the patients are isolated at

home and are expected to recov-

er. She said Alberta can expect

more cases in the coming weeks

given the global contagion, but

pointed out that of 299 tests done

on Saturday, 297 were negative.

Besides Alberta’s four cases,

Ontario has reported 31, B.C. 27

and Quebec 4. In Toronto, the

principal of Whitney Junior Pub-

lic School forwarded a letter to

parents on Sunday from the city’s

MedicalOfficerofHealthwarning

ofapossibleexposuretothecoro-

navirus. The letter stressed, how-

ever, that the risk to the school is

low.

Around the world, there have

been almost 108,000 reported

coronaviruscasesinmorethan

countries,with3,662deaths,most

of them in China, where the out-

break began. More than 60,

peoplearesaidtohaverecovered.

The epidemic has disrupted

travelandnumerousotherindus-

tries, leading to massive sell-offs

in financial markets, including in

Canada. Last week, the Bank of

Canada slashed its key interest

rate by half a percentage point

and signalled the potential for fu-

turecutstodealwiththe“materi-

al negative shock” that COVID-

poses to the economy.

Formostpeople,symptomsare

mild,includingacoughandfever.

But the virus can severely impact

the elderly and people with com-

promised immune systems. Dr.

Hinshaw stressed, however, that

even healthy, young people can

get sick.

“For that reason, it is critical

that all of us take seriously the

recommendation to stay home if

youhavefeverorcough,”shesaid.

“Unlikeinfluenza,wedonothave

a vaccine or antiviral medication

to prevent the COVID-19 illness.

Also, unlike influenza, none of us

have any previous immunity.”

In North Vancouver, two pa-

tients at a long-term care facility

tested positive, prompting offi-

cials to declare an outbreak. The

two cases are linked to B.C.’s first

confirmed case of community

transmission – a woman in her

50s with no recent travel history.

The woman is a health-care

workeratthefacility,andthenew

cases were discovered as part of

an outbreak assessment, Provin-

cial Health Officer Bonnie Henry

said Saturday.

“This is one of the scenarios

that we have been, of course,

most concerned about,” Dr. Hen-

ry said.

Itisnotyetknownwhetherthe

health-care worker brought the

virus into the facility or if resi-

dents were exposed to someone

else,shesaid.Outbreakinvestiga-

torswillnowlookatthetimingof

symptoms and follow up with

other contacts.

AttheNorthShorecarefacility,

which has139 government-subsi-

dized beds and 65 private rooms

and suites, residents are now

CoronaviruscasescontinuetoclimbinCana

Severalinstances,

includingthreeof

Alberta’sfour,aretied

toatripontheGrand

Princesscruiseshipto

Mexicoinmid-February

JEFFREYJONES
ANDREAWOO

Therestrictionswillbereinforced
by the police and army and are to
remain in place until April 3.
Pope Francis has cancelled
public appearances. On Sunday,
he used a video link to present
hisangelusprayers, which he nor-
mally leads in person from a win-
dow overlooking St. Peter’s
Square. Theangeluswas can-
celled to discourage the faithful
and tourists from visiting the
square.
Professional soccer games are
to be held in empty stadiums.
Museums and gyms are also to be
closed, and employees are being
told to “smartwork” – work from
home, if possible. But the train
stations and airports in Lombar-
dy remained open on Sunday,
presumably to allow Italians to
return to their homes, although
there was some confusion as to
whether they would remain open
and be subject to passenger con-
trols at checkpoints, or soon be
closed.
The functioning train stations
in the north enraged some south-
ern Italiangovernors, who fear
passengers would transmit the
disease to the local population.
Michele Emiliano,governorof
Puglia, the region in the “heel” of
Italy, signed an order on Sunday
that obliges residents of Puglia
who arrive from Lombardy to go
into quarantine.
“Do not bring the Lombard,
Venetian and Emilian epidemic
to your Puglia,” he said on Face-
book.
“You are carrying the virus in-
to the lungs of your brothers and
sisters, your grandparents, un-
cles, cousins and parents.”
Hospitals in northern Italy
were already overloaded, and the
fear was that health centres else-
where in Italy would reach break-
ing point as the virus spreads

south. On Sunday, Rome’s Spal-

lanzani infectious diseases hospi-

tal said it had 54 “positive” coro-

navirus cases, nine of whom were

on ventilators – an indication

that their condition is serious or

critical.

“We are now being forced to

set up intensive-care treatment

in corridors, in operating theat-

res, in recovery rooms” Antonio

Pesenti, chief of Lombardy’s cri-

sis-response unit, told Il Corriere

della Sera newspaper. “We have

emptied entire hospital wards to

make space for people in critical

condition. One of the best health

systems in the world, in Lombar-

dy, is a step away from collapse.”

In Milan, Italy’s normally bus-

tling commercial capital, streets

and parks were about two-thirds

empty. But Francesca Lorenzi, a

47-year-old Milanese lawyer, said

Italians were being “undisci-

plined” about the one-metre

rule, with some respecting the

distance, others not. She ac-

knowledged that she was afraid

of exposure to the virus and was

staying indoors.

A radiologist in Milan said the

situation at her hospital was bad.

She is urging her friends to avoid

all crowds and only go outdoors

at sunrise when there are few

people around. The Globe and

Mail is keeping her name confi-

dential because she was not au-

thorized to speak to the media.

Several high-profile COVID-

cases have rattled Italians. The

governors of Piedmont and La-

zio, the region that is home to

Rome, have tested positive for

the virus, as did Italy’s army chief

of staff.

The Laziogovernor, Nicola

Zingaretti, who is also secretary

of the governing Democratic Par-

ty, said he is quarantining him-

self at home.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreye-

sus, director-general of the World

Health Organization, praised Ital-

y’s severe isolation measures.

“The government and the people

of Italy are taking bold, coura-

geous steps aimed at slowing the

spread of the coronavirus & pro-

tecting their country,” he said in a

Sunday tweet. “They are making

genuine sacrifices.”

By Sunday, there were almost

108,000 reported coronavirus

cases around the world, with

3,662 deaths, most of them in

China. But the isolation efforts in

that country have slowed down

the transmission of the virus sub-

stantially. On Sunday, China re-

ported only 52 new cases.

The almost total shutdown of

Italy’s industrial north is expect-

ed to destroy any prospects of ec-

onomic growth in the country

this year. Italy was already on the

verge of recession before the cor-

onavirus outbreak hit last

month. Gross domestic product

fell 0.3 per cent in the last quarter

of 2019.

Thousands of small businesses

are expected to go bankrupt, es-

Italy:Soccergamestobeheld

inemptystadiums,museums

andgymstobeclosedascountry

strugglestocontainoutbreak

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At least eight Canadians tied to
the previous Mexican cruise have
also been found to have the ill-
ness.
American officials are prepar-
ingtodocktheGrandPrincessata
decommissioned terminal at the
Port of Oakland – a large industri-
alshipyardeastofSanFrancisco–
some time on Monday. The ship
will be allowed into the port just
longenoughforpassengerstodis-
embark and be moved elsewhere
while the crew remains quaran-
tined on board.
California officials said Sunday
thattheprocesscouldtaketwoto
three days with sick passengers
and California residents getting
priority. U.S. residents would be
movedtoairforceandnavalbases
inCalifornia,GeorgiaandTexasto
be tested and quarantined.
News of the federal govern-
ment’s plan to repatriate Cana-
dianscameasarelieftoCanadian
passengers aboard the ship.
Former Ontario attorney-gen-
eral John Gerretsen and his wife
Assunta have been sitting in their
interior cabin on the 11th floor of
the ship for the past three days
and were looking forward to the
30minutestheywouldbeallowed
to go on ship’s deck Sunday eve-

ning. They were not among the

people who had been tested on

board, but they were feeling

healthy. He said it had been diffi-

cult to spend days in the small

mirroredroom,buthecommend-

ed the ship’s crew and applauded

the Canadiangovernment’s plan.

“It will be great to get back to

Canada,” he said.

Rhian Torontow, a Toronto-ar-

ea travel agent who is on the

cruise with her mother, Carol

Baldwin, as part of training with

Princess Cruises, said “today has

been a good day so far.”

The pair were staying in an in-

side cabin and learned Sunday af-

ternoon that they will finally be

allowed to leave their cabins and

to get some fresh air for the first

time since passengers were or-

dered confined to their rooms on

Thursday.

The cruise ship industry has

found itself at the centre of the

globalcoronavirusoutbreak,with

officials in the U.S. and Canada

warning travellers – particularly

seniors and those with serious

health problems – to avoid cruise

travel.

“Cruise ships right now are re-

ally high risk,” B.C. Health Officer

Bonnie Henry said on the week-

end.“Thereisnowaytoguarantee

your safety at this point.” Federal

publichealthofficerTheresaTam

issued a similar warning Friday.

Along with the Canadians now

aboardtheGrandPrincess,health

officials were tracking another

267 Canadians – 127 of them from

British Columbia – who were on

the previous trip, sailing to Mexi-

coaboardtheshipbetweenFeb.

and 21. Provincial health agencies

hadidentifiedeightpeopletiedto

that voyage who had tested posi-

tive for the virus – three in Alber-

ta, two each from B.C. and Onta-

rio, and one from Quebec.

CarnivalCorp.,theparentcom-

pany of Princess Cruises, said it

believed the California passenger

who died was already infected

when he boarded the ship, where

he spread the virus to two wait

staff. Health officials in Placer

County, where the passenger was

from, disputed that finding, say-

ing they believed the man con-

tracted the illness in Mexico.

At least two other Princess

Cruises ships were affected by the

outbreak tied to the Grand Prin-

cess.TheRegalPrincesswasbeing

held off the coast of Port Ever-

glades, Fla., Sunday awaiting tests

results from two crew members

who had transferred from the

Grand Princess. The cruise line

cancelled a second cruise set to

leave Los Angeles for Mexico on

Saturday after the CDC learned

that a crew member had previ-

ouslytravelledontheGrandPrin-

cess.

Jan Swartz, group president of

Princess Cruises and Carnival

Australia, said Saturday that the

company has implemented les-

sons learned from the Diamond

Princess cruise, which is also op-

eratedbythecompanyandwhose

quarantining in Yokohama, Ja-

pan, last month was criticized for

beingslowandinadequate.Seven

passengersonthatshiphavedied,

and more than 700 others were

infected.

Crews aboard the Grand Prin-

cess were delivering prescription

medicationrequestforms,pump-

ing more fresh air into rooms and

requiring all crew members wear

masks,shesaid. Passengers were

being told to stay at least six feet

away from one another when

leaving their cabins.

U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence

announced an agreement on the

weekend with major cruise lines

to expand medical screenings for

passenger cruise ships, add on-

board coronavirus testing, intro-

ducenewmeasurestoquarantine

sickpatientsanddevelopplansto

get very ill passengers off cruise

ships to be treated in medical fa-

cilities on land.

Princess:‘Cruiseshipsrightnowarereallyhighrisk,’B.C.HealthOfficersays

PeoplelookoutfromaboardtheGrandPrinces

about40kilometresoffthecoastofSanFranc

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