TORONTO — Two private schools in the Greater Toronto Area have expressed concerns after learning that some parents were on the same flight as a Toronto patient who was diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Ontario health officials confirmed on Saturday that a male in his 50s, who had recently travelled to Wuhan, China, had been hospitalized at Sunnybrook Hospital due to possible coronavirus, which is known as 2019-nCoV.

On Monday, officials said that the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg had confirmed the case and said the man’s wife, who was on the plane with him, may also have the illness.

Earlier this week, the principal of Richmond Hill Montessori School (RMHS), located near Yonge Street and 16th Avenue, issued an “emergency order” asking any families who have travelled to China to keep their child home for 15 days after they return to Toronto.

“Kindly note, the same 15 day quarantine applies to any RHMS family who may have come in contact with individuals travelling to Toronto from China or any other countries or cities to be known to have confirmed Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) cases.”

On Sunday, the day after the first possible case of 2019-nCoV was made public, the principal issued a statement saying that a parent of a child at the school was on the same flight as both patients—China Southern Airlines flight CZ311.

“Since then, members of this family have been at RHMS despite our Emergency Order. This parent is not the person being held at Sunnybrook Hospital,” the letter said.

“Please be advised that although this parent was on the same flight, the family has informed us that this parent does not show any symptoms as of this time. We have been advised that this parent has quarantined themselves away from their immediate family and that the family has also quarantined themselves until Feb. 07, 2020 as a precaution.”

Toronto Montessori School (TMS), near Bayview Avenue and Highway 7, also released a message to parents on Sunday informing them that two separate parents were on flight CZ311.

“Both parents self-identified to York Region Public Health and are in close communication with them for their recommendations,” the school said. “As a precautionary measure, they will be quarantining themselves for the recommended 14-day period to ensure the safety of themselves and others.”

The children of both parents will be kept home as a precaution, the school said.

The York Region District School Board has said that they are following the advice of health experts, who have advised them that “additional protocols at schools are not necessary and that the risk to Ontarians remains low.”

The Toronto District School Board has not posted an update on their website about the coronavirus since Jan. 24.

Speaking with reporters on Monday morning, Ontario health officials said that if parents are concerned, they should contact their primary care doctor or local public health agencies for advice.

“There are still lots of repertory illnesses out there. There is a lot of influenza-type illness,” Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams said. “Our rules are still the same. If your child is ill, keep them at home.”

“The same things that schools do now … cleaning toys and stuff like that, is what they do on a regular basis especially around this time of flu season. It’s business as usual.”

Over the weekend, the principal of Somerset Academy, a private school in Markham, sent a letter home to parents saying that families who travelled to Asia will not be permitted onto the property for a minimum of 15 days from the date they landed in Canada.

School officials asked for proof in the form of boarding passes or stamped documents before kids are allowed in the classroom.

Meanwhile, other parents have signed an online petition titled “stop the potential spreading of the novel coronavirus in schools of York Region.”

In the petition, the author recommends schools track students who recently travelled to China and asks those families to stay isolated for at least 17 days.

More than 2,700 cases of 2019-nCoV have been confirmed around the world and at least 80 people have died in China as a result of the illness.

5 things we learned from the latest coronavirus update

Symptoms can be mild

While the illness has claimed 81 lives so far in China, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, points out that the woman currently under self-isolation in Toronto with a presumptive case of novel coronavirus has very mild symptoms that don’t require hospitalization.

“The second case also reminds us that not all people who contract coronavirus experience severe symptoms,” he said. “As of today she has not been in need of the same acute hospital care required by her husband, who also remains stable.”

Masks are not recommended

Protective masks may be flying off the shelves, but Dr. Williams doesn’t think they do much good.

“Our protocols with respiratory illness throughout the season — we have never recommended the wearing of masks in public,” he said, noting that many don’t wear them properly.

esting takes several days

If a person has come down with symptoms of a respiratory illness in tandem with a worrisome travel history, they will be sent for testing in Ontario, with results expected within 24 to 36 hours, Williams explained.

If that test is positive, the person will be considered a “presumptive” case. At that point the sample will immediately be sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg for a second round of testing. The second round of testing takes another 48 hours until the results are in.

Enhanced screening measures implemented

According to Ontario’s Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Barbara Yaffe, the province is taking active steps to contain the virus.

“As of this morning Ontario implemented enhanced screening measures at all emergency medical services communication centres to help identify potential cases of coronavirus before dispatching paramedics,” she said.

“When you call 911, dispatch answers the phone, and if the individual has respiratory symptoms they will ask about a travel history and so if there is a concern that this person may be infected the paramedics that are sent out are aware and wear appropriate garb.”

Business as usual at schools

When asked if schools should be doing anything differently now that the novel coronavirus is confirmed in Ontario, Williams said the virus isn’t widespread enough to implement anything other than common sense.

“At this stage, unlike SARS, we don’t have it widely circulating in the community,” Williams said. “At this time there’s still lots of … influenza-like illness. Our rules are still the same, if your child is ill, keep them home.”

Williams advised educators and parents to be as vigilant as they would be during any routine flu season.

“It’s business as usual,” he said.

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