While Alberta Health Services maintains that influenza remains a bigger risk to Albertans than coronavirus, they are asking people to take some extra precautions.

AHS is instructing all Albertans returning from Hubei province in China to isolate themselves for 14 days, as the virus has an incubation period of up to two weeks and there is a small chance people can spread the virus during this time.

This means avoiding situations where you are in close contact with other people, especially those with chronic conditions, a compromised immune system or seniors. It also means not attending work, school, social events and other public gatherings.

There are no confirmed or probable cases in Alberta at this time. AHS says these recommendations are being made out of an excess of caution.

There are seven confirmed cases in Canada, of which AHS says all are travel-related and patients are being isolated to prevent further transmission.

Alberta is testing for the novel coronavirus. To date, 28 tests have been conducted all of which have been negative for the novel coronavirus.

On Thursday, the province sent out a memorandum to school staff, and parents, or guardians of children on the coronavirus, explaining that the current risk to Albertans is low.

The Government of Alberta stated in the memorandum, although there is uncertainty on the issue of whether an infected person can spread the virus before they get sick and start coughing, etc., it is unlikely to contribute much to the spread of the virus. The highest risk of virus spread would be from a person who has symptoms like fever and cough.

AHS maintains that influenza and other common viruses remain the most likely cause of a respiratory infection.

To protect yourself and others they recommend the following:

  • use good hygiene practices, such as frequent hand-washing
  • cover coughs and sneezes
  • avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
  • stay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill
  • contact your primary health provider or Health Link 811 if you have questions or concerns about your health

For now, there is no specific vaccine for the novel coronavirus infection. Most people infected with common respiratory viruses will recover on their own, but some may receive supportive care from doctors or hospitals to help relieve symptoms.

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