CBSA officer at Toronto's Pearson airport tests positive for coronavirus
An officer with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) at Toronto Pearson airport has tested positive for the coronavirus, the agency said Sunday.
Ashley Lemire, a spokesperson for CBSA, said the employee is in isolation at home and following direction from local health officials.
Lemire said the agency doesn't know when or where the employee contracted the virus, but is notifying all employees who may have had contact with the infected individual, "while respecting the privacy of the employee."
She added the agency is taking steps to clean the area where the employee worked.
Employees asked to self-monitor for symptoms
Additionally, Lemire said employees who may have been in contact with the infected individual have been asked to "self monitor for symptoms" and to contact public health for direction.
These employees may also be instructed by public health to self isolate and remain at home for the recommended period, she said.
The agency said that on issues concerning health and safety, the CBSA works in close cooperation with Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, its employees and the union to ensure appropriate measures are in place.
On Friday, the federal government announced it was limiting inbound flights as part of a series of measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.
"We are looking to reduce the number of airports that will accept travellers from overseas in order to be able to give the proper resources on all arrivals to ensure we're doing everything we can to keep Canadians and Canada safe," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference.
The airports that will be permitted to take inbound flights have not been identified, and Transport Minister Marc Garneau said discussions on that measure are underway.
More than 40 new cases in Ontario Sunday
On Sunday Ontario announced 43 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 146.
Five of those patients are no longer infectious, the provincial government said on its website.
Among the newly confirmed cases, 14 patients are in Toronto, five are in Peel Region and three are in York Region. Two are from Grey Bruce and involve people who were recently on a cruise, while another involves a person from Peterborough who recently travelled to Spain and Portugal.
Three are in Hamilton.
All are isolating themselves, except one person in Simcoe-Muskoka, who is hospitalized.
