Not at all. We certainly understand that border measures are just one layer in a multisystem approach to preventing and hopefully controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Canada.
It's never been understood or recognized that border measures alone will stop it. We know that with this disease—as with many other infectious diseases—there is something called an “incubation period”. Someone could actually be harbouring the disease, virus or bacteria and come into Canada feeling totally well, having no symptoms at all, and then only declare and come forward with symptoms once they have actually entered the country.
Our current measures, in terms of the Quarantine Act, have always been in place. Any sick traveller needs to present to a quarantine officer—or at least a border agent and then a quarantine officer—for further assessment. If appropriate, under the Quarantine Act, they can be forwarded for further medical assessment.
The supplementary measures that we put in place were certainly appropriate for what's happening in China right now. I won't go into the details in terms of the advice we're giving specifically for travel from Hubei province and also for mainland China, but I think the proof is in terms of what's happened in Canada so far.
We have contained the virus. There have been 12 cases to date in Canada. That's a relatively low number compared to other countries. All of the cases, I would say, are isolated or at least isolated to travellers coming to Canada or their very close contacts. Nine of the cases coming to Canada were all linked to travel to China. Now the three most recent ones—which is quite interesting in many ways—are linked to travel from Iran.
That's also reflected in what's happening globally in other countries and regions around the world. Canada is well positioned to actually address any COVID-19 that may come to Canada.