Testing ramps up for COVID-19
By GILLIAN SLADE on March 7, 2020.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade The number of COVID-19 laboratory tests in Alberta has nearly doubled in a week. A total of 175 tests had been done by last Friday but that number climbed to 375 by yesterday, with one being presumed positive, according to data from Alberta Health. The person in Calgary who tested positive is an employee of Alberta Treasury Branch and two branches have since been closed where contact had occurred, said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health, on Friday afternoon. There is also a second presumptive case – a man from Edmonton who recently travelled on business in the U.S. Alberta began testing people for COVID-19 initially only if they’d travelled to China and had symptoms. Testing then increased as the outbreak spread to others areas including a high percentage in Iran. Provincial laboratories have been doing testing leading to “presumed” cases. The tests are then sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. If positive it is announced as “confirmed.” A spokesperson for the MOH says this approach will continue for the time being. “We are highly confident in our testing process. This is the best-practice approach for testing. ” The spokesperson declined to say what it costs to do a lab test for COVID-19. “There is no cost to the individual. We do not release information on specific costs at this time.” COVID-19 is one of a large family of coronaviruses that can result in respiratory illness with symptoms that can be mild to severe. “At this time, it appears COVID-19 is transmitted through person-to-person spread by: larger droplets, like a cough or sneeze, touching contaminated objects or surfaces, then touching your eyes, nose or mouth,” according the government’s website. There is no evidence to suggest that it is airborne for long distances and does not appear to be transmitted by imported goods, it states. The MOH says the COVID-19 virus remains active on a surface. How long depends on a variety of circumstances, but is generally limited to a few hours. “It’s important to note that while this is a possible way for the virus to spread, it does not appear to be the primary means that it is occurring to date,” said the spokesperson. If you think a surface may be contaminated, use a disinfectant to clean it and then thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water, he said. Alberta currently requires people returning from a Grand Princess Cruise, Iran or Hubei Province in China to self-isolate for 14 days. This includes avoiding close contact with other people, not going to work, school, social or public events. Watch for symptoms and then call Health Link 811. Travellers returning from Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Italy or other areas of China do not need to self-isolate. If symptoms develop, call Health Link 811. Symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to that of influenza, including a fever, cough and feeling tired. Most people recover without needing special treatment. Older people and those with underlying medical conditions are more at risk of developing serious symptoms, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia. There is currently no specific vaccine for COVID-19. Treatment includes “supportive care” and some medications are being tested to see if they can help patients with severe disease, according to the government website. A pneumonia outbreak, what we now call COVID-19, was first identified in Wuhan province China on Dec. 31, 2019. The World Health Organization (has declared the outbreak a public health emergency. 22-21
