The Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Ont., is caring for a patient who is confirmed to have a case of the novel coronavirus.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is caring for a patient who has a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China.
The patient is in stable condition and has been admitted to an isolation room. More info: https://t.co/BDLgqfjAzw— Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (@Sunnybrook) January 25, 2020
According to a release on the hospital’s website, on Thursday, Jan. 23, a male patient was brought to the facility’s emergency department, suffering from a fever and respiratory symptoms.
The patient confirmed to have recently traveled to Wuhan, China, where the virus originated. He was isolated immediately, screened and tested, with the results of his diagnosis confirmed today.
Novel Coronavirus is a type of viral pneumonia, some cases can cause mild illness similar to the common cold, while other cases are more severe and can lead to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV.)
Initially, it was thought that the novel coronavirus spread from animals but it is now being transmitted from human to human, with some of the viruses spreading easier than others.
“There has been a tremendous amount of learning since the 2003 SARS crisis, which has helped prepare us for a situation like this,” said Dr. Jerome Leis, Sunnybrook’s medical director of infection prevention and control. Dr. Leis added that he is feeling confident in the hospital staff’s ability to limit the spread of infection.
Currently, the patient in Ontario has been admitted to an isolation room and is in stable condition. Within the next few days, he will be undergoing treatment to manage his symptoms.
Symptoms of the novel coronavirus infection have included:
fever
cough
difficulty breathing
