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An Ebola readiness update from Canadian health officials today from Ottawa noted that test drills in Halifax yesterday and in process today are proving successful.Â
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Health Minister Rona Ambrose and Dr. Gregory Taylor, chief public health officer, spoke in Ottawa on Monday.
A team from the federal Public Health Agency briefed health-care providers on the techniques to prevent spread of the disease should it hit in this country.
Five rapid response teams are ready to go if an Ebola case is diagnosed in Canada, Taylor said.
He said that in Halifax, the team walked through the response in the event of a case in Nova Scotia. Other provinces have also asked for similar test drills, which are being planned.
Taylor said the first of three shipments of a total of 800 vials of Canada’s experimental Ebola vaccine left this morning from Winnipeg for Geneva, where the World Health Organization is based.
- Canada’s Ebola response gets fresh test in Nova Scotia
- Canadian Ebola vaccine to be sent to WHO for clinical trials
In Canada, there have been no confirmed cases of Ebola. An outbreak of the viral disease is centred in West Africa. Nigeria and Senegal have now been declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization.Â
Earlier on Monday, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne announced the province will contribute $3 million to support the emergency response to the outbreak in West Africa.
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