Canada’s western province of Alberta on Monday confirmed its first case of a Western Hemisphere traveler contracting the risky variant strain of coronavirus — a first for the entire region.
A 27-year-old man left Ireland on a holiday in Ontario in May, but upon his return to the province he went to a Calgary hospital in late June with coughing and difficulty breathing, said Dr. Lisa Allan, medical officer of health for Calgary. Allan said the patient was a frequent traveler to the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
Sixteen people have died so far as a result of the coronavirus. The virus was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and has been linked to meningitis and infections in Europe and Asia. In May, an outbreak of the virus in Germany prompted officials there to shut down schools and public places, prompting a worldwide travel alert.
The latest Alberta case is considered mild and “under control,” said Allan. The patient’s condition was upgraded to “good,” and he is back home.
“We’re basically able to return to more normal activity,” Allan said.
Alberta’s main concern is the 30 to 40 additional cases of coronavirus confirmed or probable by the province, and it has issued a travel alert to all Canadian airports.
“Anybody who was in the [Western Hemisphere] a couple of months ago should look at their illness history, contact their doctors and make a decision if they still need to visit a doctor,” Allan said.