Health committee  Mr. Chair, what's very clear in the context of the Quarantine Act is that every single air carrier that flies into Canada has an obligation to ensure that if they have a sick passenger on board that flight, they make the Government of Canada aware of that prior to their arrival.

Health committee  Mr. Chairman, maybe I can start with the process of how we're taking people through the steps from the point of view of health assessment. We are working very closely with Chinese authorities, who have been quite clear that they will want to ensure that any individual who is getting on the flight and leaving Hubei province is not symptomatic.

Health committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the opportunity to update the committee on the coronavirus. We were here last week, and a few things have transpired since then. I understand that on Monday this committee also had an opportunity to receive updates from various departments involved in the government's response.

Health committee  Mr. Chair, I will try to answer the question. It is almost instantaneous. The provinces and territories are very seized with the importance of ensuring that the federal government in particular is aware as soon as they think they have a presumptive case. We've been getting notification, at least in the context of the three cases, very, very quickly.

Health committee  Mr. Chairman, we are working very closely with our colleagues in the United States. We have daily calls with the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control; I think “prevention” and “disease control” are actually in their official title. They are sharing information with us quite quickly.

Health committee  Mr. Chair, in terms of the question of procedures and protocols, we committed to provide information back to the committee, if that's what I understand the question to be.

Health committee  Do you mean, in terms of just now?

Health committee  We have a complement of quarantine officers and are thinking to the future. We're in the process of ensuring that, from a contingency plan point of view, we're training additional staff in the event they would be necessary. Right now the complement of our quarantine officers is able to support the measures we have in place and the level of effort that's been made with the border measures that have been described.

Health committee  Maybe I could just note with regard to our colleagues at Global Affairs that there's been quite a bit of publicity about consular services. For those feeling they're in need of support from the Canadian government, our colleagues at Global Affairs have very much counselled individuals to reach out to consular services so that the officials will know and have a good understanding of what the need might be and the different individuals who are looking for support.

Health committee  I think, Mr. Chair, again, that's a question we can't answer. I think it would be better directed to our colleagues at Global Affairs Canada, who are the ones having discussions with Chinese authorities.

Health committee  I'll ask my colleague Dr. Tam to answer that question, because there's definitely an expectation that the World Health Organization has of countries with respect to imposing restrictions on trade and travel.

Health committee  Mr. Chair, I don't think we would have information that would enable us to answer that question.

Health committee  Mr. Chair, maybe I could note that in relation to the question around what might be planned with respect to repatriation, that's really a question that is better directed to our colleagues at Global Affairs Canada. In terms of the other question that was asked with respect to individuals who may have been in Wuhan, might now be in other parts of the world, and who would subsequently come home to Canada on a flight other than directly from China, the measures we have in airports would still apply.

Health committee  Do you want me to share them now?

Health committee  Yes, Mr. Chair, that's possible.