BCIT employee contracts coronavirus disease

FILE: Burnaby Campus (Photo: British Columbia Institute of Technology)

An employee from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) has tested positive for the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).

According to the Global News, the employee has been regularly reporting for work during the pandemic despite the risks of getting infected.

However, BCIT said that there is no way that the employee may have made contact with the students or the staff as the school follows the guidelines of social distancing while at work.

The Global News reported that the employee is now self-isolating at home and the school has notified their staff and advised them to isolate themselves at home as well as the probability of being in contact with the employee infected with the virus may be high.

The school said that a thorough, intense cleansing and sanitizing has been implemented throughout the potentially affected areas to avoid risks of transmission of the coronavirus disease among its students and employees.

BCIT said that they are continuing to monitor the situation during the COVID-19 pandemic and is working with the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training to ensure the safety of their community.

In a statement addressed to the students, BCIT President Kathy Kinloch said that the health and safety of their students and their community is the primary consideration of the school.

“We are equally committed to ensuring that BCIT students continue to be in high demand among today’s and tomorrow’s employers, regardless of the learning and teaching methods that may be required to ensure both educational excellence and safety,” said Kinloch in the statement.

“I am tremendously proud of our faculty and staff and their incredible resilience over the past weeks in continuing to instruct, support, and encourage our students, while adapting to ongoing changes, challenges, and opportunities as this situation has evolved,” she continued.

BCIT said if anyone is showing any symptoms of illness to stay home and not attend BCIT offices or campuses.

US, Canada may extend travel ban

Canada and the United States, however, may extend their travel ban on non-essential travels up to June 21 due to the pandemic, said the Canadian government sources and a US official in Washington to Reuters.

As the coronavirus disease cases continue to rise in numbers in both nations, the US and Canada have agreed to extend border restrictions set on April 18 to be prolonged until May 21.

As of writing. Canada reported 1,121 newly-confirmed cases, including 135 more deaths, totaling to 72, 266 confirmed cases, and 5,304 deaths.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Canadians to remain vigilant and stay at home as much as possible and practice social distancing as the country begins to set the reopening plans in motion.

“I know we’re all looking forward to it but we have to be vigilant,” said Trudeau in French.