The Quinte region has its first known case of Coronavirus.

At Quinte West City Hall on Wednesday morning, officials with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross, 8 Wing Trenton, and the cities of Quinte West and Belleville held a media conference.

More than 200 people arrived at CFB Trenton on Tuesday, after flying from Oakland overnight Monday. They were aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship, which saw an outbreak of the illness.

Karen Walton of the Public Health Agency of Canada says the positive case was discovered in one person, during screenings at the base after the plane landed. The individual is being isolated from the other passengers who are in quarantine for two weeks. Walton says the symptoms are mild, and the person will NOT have access to the general public. Details about the person or where they are from is not known.

Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison and Belleville Mayor Mitch Panciuk said they, along with their councils and staff, stand behind the women and men of 8 Wing and the health officials who are working at the base to quarantine repatriated Canadians. They also reiterated their confidence in the work being done here “in our own back yard.” They finished by talking about the fact that “we are stronger when we work together.”

Acting Wing Commander Lt. Col. Phil Marcus says the base and its men and women are there to support the health operation teams in providing a safe and dignified return for Canadians. He added his absolute confidence in the health partners and the work they are doing to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health and CEO at Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, says they are working collaboratively, following established protocols, and undertaking all possible infection control precautions to contain the spread of COVID-19 and that the risk of person-to-person spread in our region is still low.