Quarantine Plans of Canadians at Nav Centre

Quarantine Plans of Canadians at Nav Centre

Lancaster, Ontario, February 18, 2020 – Late yesterday afternoon, Mayor Prevost and CAO, Tim Mills attended a press conference at the Nav Centre in Cornwall, with MPP Jim McDonell and MP Eric Duncan concerning the quarantine plans of Canadians at the NAV Centre where Rebecca Hickey, Senior Public Relations Officer with Nav Canada, Cornwall Mayor Bernadette Clement, Dr. Howard Njoo of Public Health Canada and Dr. Paul Roumeliotis of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) gave short statements updating the public on the situation and took questions from media.

The Diamond Princess, currently docked in Japan, has so far had over 300 cases of COVID-19 (novel Coronavirus) diagnosed on board. The federal government announced on February 15^th that Global Affairs Canada has chartered a plane to repatriate Canadians on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama. Before leaving Japan, passengers will be assessed to confirm they have not contracted the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Those who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 will not be permitted to board. The aircraft will bring passengers from Japan to Canadian Forces Base Trenton, where they will be assessed again. Passengers without coronavirus symptoms will be transported to the NAV Canada Training Institute in Cornwall to undergo a further 14-day period of quarantine.

Mayor Prevost made the request at the press conference that South Glengarry and all townships in the Counties receive regular updates and communication from the federal government, Nav Can, EOHU and the City of Cornwall. His request was made during the question period and later confirmed to South Glengarry that they will be on the communication list.

In summary:

• 228 travellers will be pre-screened in Japan. Passengers without COVID-19 symptoms will be flown to Trenton, registered, and screened, and transported to the NAV Centre this week.
• Passengers who are not demonstrating any of the symptoms will be quarantined at the NAV Centre for 14 days as a precaution.
• The quarantined passengers will be cared for by the Provincial Emergency Medical Assistance Team (EMAT), while the Red Cross will provide support services.
• Passengers will be quarantined in a section of the NAV Centre segregated from the rest of the building.
• The risk of Canadians, including City of Cornwall and South Glengarry residents, contracting COVID-19 remains low.
• The date of arrival of Canadians from the Princess cruise is later in the week, most likely February 20 or 21.

For a list of up-to-date information please visit:

1)      Update from City of Cornwall

https://www.cornwall.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=8f08cbaa-83a4-4356-80c2-ae8a1c922f2b

2) Update from the Eastern Ontario Health Unit

     https://eohu.ca/en/article/2020-02-17

To learn more about the coronavirus/COVID-19, please click here.

To learn more about the repatriation of Diamond Princess passengers, please click here.

For public inquiries, please call 1-833-784-4397.

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Issued by:

Meggin Roberts
Communications Coordinator
Township of South Glengarry
mroberts@southglengarry.com | (613) 347-1166 ext. 222