The same phrase was used in a headline in The Province on Wednesday

Someone has spray painted "China virus" in large, red letters on a bus stop near Annie B Jamieson Elementary

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Few days after The Province newspaper sparked outrage by referring to the novel coronavirus as the “China virus,” someone has spray painted the term on a bus stop in Vancouver.

“China virus” can be read in large red letters on the bus stop at 49th Avenue and Tisdall Street near Annie B Jamieson Elementary.

When The Province used the term on Wednesday’s front page headline, reaction was swift, with the Chinese Consulate calling it “arrogant” and “discriminatory.”

Racist backlash against Chinese people has been a growing issue as the new virus continues to spread.

While the virus doesn’t have a name, best practices from The World Health Organization say efforts should be made to avoid “causing offence to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups.”

“China Virus”, those words have been painted on a #Vancouver bus stop. The graffiti was spotted last night at West 49th ave and Tisdall st. @CityNewsVAN @NEWS1130 @BT_Vancouver pic.twitter.com/3Ov52OZcYs — Ashley Grace Burr (@AshleyBurr_) February 8, 2020

In Canada, there have been five confirmed cases: three in Ontario, two in B.C., as well as two presumptive cases in B.C..

There are also seven Canadians with confirmed cases of the coronavirus contracted aboard a Diamond Princess Cruise ship docked in Yokohama, just outside Tokyo.

In China, a number of confirmed virus cases have risen with fatalities increasing to 722 on Saturday including an American.

The government announced that another 3,399 people had been diagnosed over the last 24 hours.