This time last year: COVID-19 was on the radar but not yet considered a risk

By Medicine Hat News on February 4, 2021.

One year ago Alberta still had no cases of COVID-19 but Canadian residents were being repatriated from Wuhan in China and a global emergency was declared.

The World Health Organization had declared the emergency because there was a risk to other countries and a co-ordinated international response was required.

In Alberta, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health, reassured Albertans.

“The risk is low but we are prepared.”

Hinshaw said the WHO had taken into account that the virus had spread from person to person in some cases.

There were still no cases in the province and five confirmed in Canada.

The federal government began making arrangements to assist Canadians who were in China at the time and needed to return home.

On Feb. 7 last year the federal government announced the first government flight out of Wuhan had left with 176 people on board.

A period of isolation for the returning travellers was necessary.

“All evacuees will spend 14 days under quarantine on the military base in southern Ontario being monitored to see if they have contracted the virus,” read a Canadian Press story from Feb. 7, 2020.

The aircraft landed at CFB Trenton and passengers were housed in a motel with 290 guest rooms that were usually used for military personnel.

A total of 300 people had already been in contact with Ottawa asking for assistance to leave Wuhan – where 11 million people were in quarantine.

A week before, on Jan. 25, Canadians were told not to worry about that type of quarantine happening here.

“Mass coronavirus quarantines seen in China won’t happen in Canada” was the headline for a Canadian Press story.

“Absolutely not,” said Dr. Peter Donnelly with Public Health Ontario. “If a case comes here, and it is probably likely that we will have a case here, it will still be business as normal.”

Hinshaw did not know if anyone returning to Canada were from Alberta, but anyone who had travelled to Hubei province in China was asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Employers were asked to accommodate staff affected by allowing them to work remotely for the self-isolation period.

It was at this stage that Albertans were asked to monitor themselves for symptoms and to call HealthLink 811 if they had any concerns.

“I want to stress once again that the risk to Albertans remains low,” Hinshaw said at the time.

It was also in early February that the first cases of the virus were detected on cruise ships.

“The Diamond Princess is carrying 1,045 crew and 2,666 guests, including 251 Canadians. About 20 people have contracted the virus so far. The two Canadians who tested positive were transferred to local health facilities in Japan,” reads a Canadian Press story on Feb. 7, 2020.

Canadians were already learning the symptoms of the virus and were being asked to wash hands, cover coughs and sneezes and stay home if they felt ill.

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