Some Norouz festivities have been cancelled on the North Shore and high school trips to international destinations are being called off while supplies like toilet paper and canned goods fly off the shelves at local stores as concern about the novel coronavirus spreads.
Health officials continue to reassure the public that the risk of becoming ill is still low for Canadians, despite an increase in confirmed cases, which stood at 34 on Wednesday – including 13 in B.C.
Seven of the recent cases of COVID-19 in B.C. are linked directly or indirectly to people who recently travelled to Iran, one of the global hot spots of the epidemic.
Concern about potential spread of the virus has led to cancellation of a Norouz gala planned for the Shipyards in North Vancouver this weekend, and another Norouz gala planned for a downtown hotel later in the month, as well as an international women’s day event planned by the Iranian women’s network in West Vancouver. A concert by an Iranian singer scheduled for Centennial Theatre has also been postponed.
The reaction is similar to that which followed the outbreak of coronavirus in China in January, which prompted local organizers to cancel several Lunar New Year events.
Kei Esmaeilpour, president of the Iranian Canadian Civic Association, said a number of families who have recently returned to the Lower Mainland from Iran are isolating themselves in their homes for two weeks.
Some voiced concerns that it’s taken several calls to health authorities to have coronavirus tests administered, he said. He added some said none of the passengers were questioned during their stops at various airports on the way back home. Fortunately, none of those people have shown signs of the virus, he said, and few people are now returning from Iran as most flights out of the country have been cancelled.
Esmaeilpour added many local Iranians remain concerned about family members still in Iran. Few believe the official numbers about the number of infections given by Iranian authorities, he said.
“I think the Iranian government has lost their credibility.”
Several school trips being planned by high school groups to international destinations have also been cancelled including Argyle and Handsworth trips to Japan, a Handsworth trip to Italy and one West Vancouver school trip to France. Ten school trips to other destinations planned for later in the school year are being monitored.
Tennille Hartley, a Grade 12 Digital Media Academy student at Argyle, learned this week her school trip to Japan was being cancelled.
Hartley said she’s disappointed but understands concerns, especially of students getting caught in quarantine requirements.
“I’d rather not be in quarantine,” she said.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland sought Wednesday to reassure Canadians about the government’s preparations to deal with an outbreak. “Our first priority is to keep Canadians safe,” she told media on a conference call. “We have one of the best health-care systems in the world.”
Meanwhile, supplies of hand sanitizer, canned goods and items like toilet paper were reportedly being bought up at local stores by North Shore residents determined to be prepared for the possibility of any widespread outbreak.
Shoppers at Real Canadian Superstore and other large grocery stores like Save-On-Foods in North Vancouver reported many conspicuously empty shelves at various points in the week.
Esmaeilpour said a number of people in the Iranian community have already organized to help bring food and supplies to people who have self-quarantined upon return from Iran.
Provincial health officials also announced the first serious case of the coronavirus Wednesday – a woman in her 80s who recently returned from travel to Hong Kong and India and who is in critical condition in hospital.
Health officials have continued to stress COVID-19 has been a mild illness in most of the confirmed cases. The virus tends to disproportionately affect older people and those with underlying health conditions.
