The Region of Halton has confirmed its first case of COVID-19.

The person is a 32-year old female that had returned recently from Hawaii. She became symptomatic on Monday and was tested at Hamilton Health Sciences’ (HHS) Juravinski Hospital on Monday, March 9th.

She is a frontline healthcare worker at HHS and resides in Burlington.

The Region says the hospital “took all necessary precautions and followed standard operating procedures, including testing and assessment”, and that the patient is “currently at home where she remains in self-isolation.”

This is the 37th case confirmed in Ontario.

“Halton Region Public Health is continuing to work with provincial and local health counterparts and with the resident to identify all known contacts who may have been potentially exposed to the virus to assess if there is a potential health risk,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Medical Officer of Health. “The risk to Halton residents remains low.”

“This incidence was detected very quickly and all proper processes were followed,” says Dr. Wes Stephen, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Hamilton Health Sciences. “When she began to show symptoms, infection control protocol was swiftly initiated and she was tested in a safe environment. Out of an abundance of caution, last week, Hamilton Health Sciences expanded its criteria for testing beyond the standard case definition to include any travel outside Canada. As a result, this case was identified as quickly as possible. She is now in self-isolation protocol.”

Contact Halton Region Public Health by calling 311, 905-825-6000 or toll free at 1-866-442-5866 if you have a fever OR cough OR breathing difficulty AND any of the following:

travelled outside of Canada in the 14 days before onset of illness; or

close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19; or

close contact with a person with acute respiratory illness who travelled to affected areas within 14 days prior to their illness onset.

The best way to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 is to:

stay home when ill;

cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve;

wash hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand rub;

clean and disinfect objects and surfaces.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit halton.ca/coronavirus.