Fort Frances, Ont., confirms first case of COVID-19 in northwestern Ontario

Northwestern Ontario has its first confirmed case of COVID-19.

"The individual was seen, assessed and tested in Winnipeg," said Dr. Ian Gemmill, the Acting Medical Officer of Health for the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU).

"This person now recovering back at home in Fort Frances and is in self-isolation. To protect the health of the public and to prevent community spread, NWHU immediately began to identify potential sites of exposure and has ensured that the limited number of persons who have come in close contact with the person are in self-quarantine."

"The virus can enter the body only through the nose, eyes, and mouth, so the best prevention methods continue to be washing hands often and not touching one's face."