COVID-19: Ninth case confirmed in Quebec

MONTREAL -- UPDATE: There are now 13 cases of COVID-19 in Quebec. Our latest story here.

An eighth and ninth case of COVID-19 in Quebec have been confirmed.

Health Minister Danielle McCann announced the eighth case on Wednesday afternoon. A little later, public health officials tweeted about another infected person, who had returned from Italy and had presented herself to health officials in the Estrie region. 

#COVID19 – Nouveau cas confirmé : la personne a voyagé en Italie et a consulté en Estrie. Elle est en isolement à domicile. La recherche de contacts étroits est en cours. Les personnes concernées seront contactées et les mesures nécessaires seront appliquées. Total : 9 cas au QC.

— Santé Québec (@sante_qc) March 11, 2020

The eighth patient was also a person who travelled to Quebec, from France, the health ministry announced, adding that so far all the cases in Quebec have been of people returning to Quebec after travelling abroad, and that there have been no community cases yet.

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McCann reminded Quebecers who are travelling abroad to follow directives issued by public health officials and avoid taking cruise ships. She said she wanted to make sure Quebecers know that there are travel-related risks associated with COVID-19.

Two of the nine coronavirus patients in Quebec are currently isolated in hospital, McCann said.

McCann, accompanied by Horacio Arruda, Quebec's director of public health, said the province is being proactive in dealing with the spread of COVID-19, giving as an example its decision to cancel the World Figure Skating Championships that were to take place in Montreal next week.