Bancroft has first positive COVID-19 case

March 30, 2020

By Kristena Schutt-Moore

One person has tested positive for COVID-19 at the Bancroft hospital. The Bancroft Family Health Team says that the person was travelling abroad and when they came back to Canada they immediately followed the self-quarantine protocol. 
They later developed symptoms and were tested at the hospital. The test was positive for COVID-19. However, they followed the requirements for self-quarantine properly. Executive director of BFHT Sandra McGrath says, “They were not out in the community at all.”
She also explains that it should be assumed that there are other probable, unrelated cases in the community and physical and social distancing is very important.
Once the virus is contracted it can take up to 14 days for the symptoms to show and in that time there is evidence the test can come back negative. McGrath says to assume you have COVID-19 if you have mild symptoms and to act accordingly by staying home and treating symptoms appropriately.
There are strict guidelines for testing put in place by the Ministry of Health to prioritize the patients who need it most due to the worldwide shortage of the testing agent. 
Those that have questions are asked to call the Bancroft Family Health Team's office at 613-332-1565. Don't go to the emergency room unless it is an urgent matter.