Nova Scotia's chief medical officer says the province has a protocol in place should people think they have been exposed to the coronavirus.
Dr. Robert Strang says the province's health system is well-prepared at its points of entry.
"So whether that's somebody calls 811 or 911, goes to a family doctor's office or a walk-in clinic, or an emergency room, the health system now is basically using a common ... screening tool, asking a few questions," Strang said on Monday.
Those include whether they have traveled within the past 14 days to the region where the virus first emerged in Wuhan, China. Anyone who has, is advised to monitor themselves for fever and cough, whether that's a new cough or exacerbation of a chronic cough. If they meet the travel requirement and have fever and cough, they should go directly to their local emergency department, Strang said.
That's where they will be tested for a range of commonly occurring viruses, including influenza, and a sample will be sent to the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg to be tested for coronavirus.
Strang said one of the bits of information emerging on this virus is that the incubation period seems to be between two to 14 days, so that's why the travel time period is important.
"Let's say if somebody was in Wuhan City at Christmas-time and has now been back in Nova Scotia for a month and they develop fever and cough, they don't have coronavirus. It's past the time when they would have come down (with it). They probably have a commonly occurring virus."
He added that even if someone had traveled within the two-week timeframe and is now getting sick, there's a good chance it's not coronavirus, but the test would need to be done, together with appropriate infection control to minimize any chance of transmission for the patient and the health care workers.
There have been more than 2,700 cases reported in China, with more than 80 deaths. Two cases have been reported in Toronto.
Strang said one person in Nova Scotia was tested under the protocol this weekend and the results came back negative for the coronavirus.
He also urged the general public not to spend a lot of time worrying about it. Nova Scotia is in the middle of its flu season, so people should be more concerned about that and other viruses that are common this time of year, he said, adding that it's not too late to get a flu shot.
Strang also highlighted best practices like hand washing, coughing or sneezing into your sleeve or into into a tissue and then washing your hands afterwards, and staying home if you're sick to prevent spreading it to others.
"Those are good, basic measures we would encourage people to do at all times, especially in the winter months, and they're also exactly what we're going to be saying to people who may have coronavirus, as well," Strang said.
