Planning and preparing for pandemics
- Jan 31, 2020 - 4:30 PM
A pandemic is a disease that spreads worldwide, affecting a large number of people.When a new influenza virus emerges, a flu pandemic can occur. Because the virus is new, people have little to no immunity against it and the virus can spread quickly from person-to-person.
A new coronavirus is currently causing respiratory infections, mostly in Hubei Province, China. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause respiratory illnesses in humans. Symptoms of coronavirus may include fever, headache, coughing, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. BC has one confirmed case of the novel coronavirus; however the risk to British Columbians continues to be low.
All types of flu, pandemic or not, spread from person to person by droplets produced by coughing or sneezing. You can also become infected by touching an object that has been contaminated and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without first washing your hands.
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In the event of an emergency or disaster, real-time updates will be shared with the public on this page.
