B.C.’s sixth case of COVID-19 was contracted by a woman who was visiting Iran, B.C.’s top doctor and health minister confirmed Thursday evening.
Dr. Bonnie Henry said the woman in her 30s visited the Middle East country in January and returned to B.C. late that same month. She was diagnosed after taking herself to hospital with flu-like symptoms, she added, but was sent home.
“We were surprised as you can imagine,” Henry said about the case, which is the first one in the province without a connection to China.
“We expect there will be an international investigation.”
Henry said the woman’s case is relatively mild and a number of her close contacts have already been put in isolation.
The woman herself is in isolation at her home in the Fraser Health region and is being monitored by provincial health officials.
During the joint press conference with Health Minister Adrian Dix, Henry noted Iran is beginning to see cases of the novel coronavirus.
The country has reported five cases as of Thursday, two of whom have died.
“It’s unexpected. It’s what we call a sentinel event,” Henry said.
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