Four people were under investigation and all the tests carried out were negative.
The information was provided Thursday by the National Director of Public Health, Horacio Arruda, who was reassuring, taking stock of the situation across Quebec.
And if ever it was discovered that a person had indeed contracted the potentially fatal virus, Quebec would not be caught off guard, having already taken all the necessary measures to prevent the disease from spreading, insisted Mr. Arruda.
He urged the population not to give in to irrational and unfounded fear as China ramps up drastic measures to contain the outbreak.
The main symptoms of the coronavirus are fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. They appear within 14 days of contamination.
According to Mr. Arruda, masks are not a useful protective tool for the population, even in the context of an epidemic. Their use is more indicated for patients in whom an infection has been suspected and for the professionals who treat them.
In Quebec, as elsewhere in the world, instructions have been given by government authorities to detect possible problem cases in airports and in hospital emergency rooms.
–
