Fifth case of coronavirus in Interior Health region

A fifth case of the coronavirus – or COVID-19 – has been reported in British Columbia, and this one hits closer to home.

Officials say a woman in her 30s who lives in the Interior Health region returned from Shanghai, China in the past week through Vancouver’s airport and she is currently in isolation.

Passengers who sat near the woman on the airplane will be contacted, but officials say the risk to them is “very, very low.”

Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial medical health officer, says they are not saying where exactly she lives in the Interior Health region because they don’t want to unnecessarily alarm people.

“People need to trust the system in order to engage with us, so we are very careful with the information we give out, and we want to make sure that people who potentially are at risk, who are close contacts, are connected with first before they hear about things potentially in the media,” said Henry.

Henry also updated the conditions of the other four patients in B.C. with the virus.

“Four, located in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, have been confirmed positive by the NML and remain in isolation. Public health teams are providing ongoing care and support to all five individuals.”

Henry added the risk of spread of the potentially-deadly virus within B.C. remains low at this time.

“We continue to monitor the outbreak closely and will notify the public if the measures in B.C. change.”