Canada’s top doctor gives update on hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks – May 22, 2026

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Uh hello everyone. Mojo Quina. Uh this virtual press conference is being held in Ottawa on Friday, May 22nd. I'm the moderator, Greg Quinn with Market News International. With us today, we have Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. Jos Rhymer, to provide updates about Hentusirus and Ebola. We also have representatives from Global Affairs Canada and the Border Services Agency.

[00:00:27]Um, if I could ask those officials to identify themselves before speaking for for the journalists uh watching this presser, um, I would also note, you know, before guests deliver opening remarks, uh, you know, kind of a a safety announcement for our translators, uh, I remind everyone dialed in to stick to best practices such as using the proper equipment and minimizing outside noise.

[00:00:49]And for those online, uh, please use the raise hand function to signal you'd like to ask a question. And with that, uh, Dr. Rhymer, please go ahead.

[00:01:02]>> Thank you so much and thank you everyone for joining us today. Uh, before we begin, I want to acknowledge that we are gathered on the unseated traditional territory of the Anishnab Algangquin nation. And I would like to take a moment to reflect on the history of indigenous people and honor the original stewards of the lands where we live and work.

[00:01:21]So I will begin today with an update on the Ebola situation in Africa and what it means for Canada and then I will provide an update on the Andes virus. So on May 15th, Africa's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared an outbreak of Ebola disease in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

[00:01:40]Cases linked to this outbreak have also been reported in Uganda, including an imported strain that was confirmed to be the Bundugyo virus strain.

[00:01:49]On May 17th, the director general of the World Health Organization declared this outbreak a public health emergency of international concern due to the evidence of crossber spread, uncertainty around the true size of the outbreak, the potential for wider regional and global impacts, and the need for global collaboration.

[00:02:10]It's important to be clear that while this is a serious and evolving situation, cases remain localized and the global risk is low.

[00:02:29]The security local international complex based on the public health agency of Canada's rapid risk assessment and in alignment with the World Health Organization. The risk to people in Canada is considered to be low at this time. There has never been a case of Ebola disease imported into Canada despite numerous Ebola outbreaks in the affected region. I do however want to be transparent that out of an abundance of caution, one individual in Ontario underwent precautionary testing. This individual recently returned from Ethiopia and reported symptoms that were consistent with a range of illnesses.

[00:03:44]Both the initial testing that was conducted in Ontario as well as confirmatory testing at the National Microbiology Laboratory were negative.

[00:03:52]So this is a good example of how quickly measures are activated even when the likelihood of Ebola here in Canada is low.

[00:04:01]Ebola disease is transmitted through direct contact with the body fluids of an infected individual who is showing symptoms or through contact with infected animals or contaminated materials. It is not spread through casual contact and it does not spread through the air like respiratory viruses. Those at highest risk are individuals providing care to patients with Ebola disease, those participating in burial practices involving direct contact or those working in healthcare or laboratory settings where the virus is present.

[00:04:49]collaborator territori. Fore democ democratic Uganda on demand.

[00:05:36]The symptom contact system.

[00:06:09]There's a fish potential guarantee.

[00:06:36]On Wednesday, a flight was redirected to Montreal due to a passenger of concern.

[00:06:42]Fact, quarantine officers assessed the individual, determined they were asymptomatic, and appropriate border procedures were followed. For travelers, I want to emphasize the importance of checking the Government of Canada's travel advice and advisories before departure.

[00:06:58]Individuals returning from affected regions should monitor their health for 21 days. If symptoms develop, it is critical that they isolate immediately away from others and contact local public health authorities before seeking inerson care.

[00:07:23]Immediately, it is laboratory.

[00:07:42]Uh, this is laboratorology.

[00:08:01]The vaccine.

[00:08:25]This outbreak underscores the importance of global collaboration.

[00:08:29]Canada continues to work closely with international partners through established mechanisms such as the World Health Organization and the global outbreak alert and response network. We stand ready to provide technical expertise and support if requested as we have done in previous outbreaks. Our shared goal is to contain this outbreak at its source and reduce the further spread.

[00:08:52]I will now uh turn briefly to the situation regarding Andy's hunter virus.

[00:08:58]So Canada has confirmed a case of Andy's hunter virus linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship earlier this month. At this time there have been no additional cases identified in Canada beyond the initial confirmed case in British Columbia and all high-risisk contacts continue to be monitored by local public health authorities.

[00:09:17]The overall risk to the general population in Canada remains low at this time.

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[00:10:26]Dr. Gabriel Jesus, director generaliz Transparence essential. L.

[00:11:16]So in conclusion, we have a robust system in place for detection, prevention, and response. We are working in close collaboration with provincial and territorial partners as well as with international organizations and governments to ensure a coordinated and effective approach. We will continue to provide timely updates and clear guidance as new information becomes available.

[00:11:40]I want to send out a special thank you to our public health partners across the country, our frontline healthcare workers, lab scientists, and our international colleagues for their dedication, their expertise and collaboration. Together, we are working to protect the health and safety of people both in Canada and around the world. Thank you, Mei Migu.

[00:12:06]>> Thank you. Uh, I believe now we will take some questions. Um, I believe we might have until 1:45 p.m. or so. Uh, so let's stick to one question, one followup.

[00:12:40]Bonjour.

[00:12:58]The surveillance um poor Andrew Lawrence.

[00:13:44]Sante public.

[00:14:00]Thank you.

[00:14:06]Ah, We the border. No, no volume.

[00:15:16]Ah, right.

[00:15:17]>> Okay. Yes.

[00:15:20]Dor uh uh so we will switch apologize for that uh technical problem. Uh, we'll try uh Hannah Albergo, Canadian Press.

[00:15:59]He may have dropped off.

[00:16:05]All right. As a stop gap, um, I propose turning to Jennifer LGrassa, CBC News.

[00:16:18]>> Hi there. Um, thanks so much for for taking our questions today. Um, I'm just wondering, I just want to make sure I've got this right. Um, so the person who was on that flight and who landed in Montreal Wednesday, um, were they actually tested for Ebola or they were just screened for symptoms?

[00:16:35]>> I can take that question. Um so the individual uh the flight was redirected to Montreal uh because there was an individual on there who um was from or had traveled to a potentially affected region. They were assessed by a public health agency of Canada quarantine officer found not to have have any symptoms and have since returned to their point of origin.

[00:16:59]>> Okay. Thank you. And um just another question. Um, Canadians are asking why Canada hasn't instituted a travel ban, especially when we're seeing the restrictions that are in place in the United States. Can you explain um some of the reasoning behind that decision?

[00:17:14]>> Yeah.

[00:17:16]>> Yeah. So, a decision uh around the borders is a decision that is made by cabinet. However, I will be providing advice to cabinet on this very fluid, rapidly evolving uh situation with information that we get from the World Health Organization, from a Africa CDC, and make sure that the decision makers have all of the up-to-date information as they make this difficult decision.

[00:17:41]>> Mercy, a metum, Canada We we Um interpret Um, border measure.

[00:19:25]Africa Minister Min Exact organiz All right. Thank you. Uh we will now turn to I believe it's Crystal Doo Bell Media. Please go ahead.

[00:20:45]>> Sorry. Can you hear me?

[00:20:47]>> Yes. Go ahead.

[00:20:48]>> Okay, great. Um thanks for your time. Um I would like to know um why Canada had to accept the flight that was diverted from the US due to that passenger who was from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

[00:21:03]I I just want to understand like how the decision-m works on whether to accept that diverted diverted flights and in this case yeah with the passenger from the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak.

[00:21:17]Uh, I would have to defer to my colleagues at Transport Canada or um perhaps CBSA, but I believe Transport Canada uh because those discussions uh do not fall within the Public Health Agency of Canada's perview.

[00:21:31]>> Okay. And how about um sorry, can I ask a followup?

[00:21:36]>> Uh yes, of course. One one followup.

[00:21:38]Yes.

[00:21:39]>> Okay.

[00:21:41]Um, does Canada um need to put in travel restrictions related to um the infectious diseases like Ebola?

[00:21:51]>> Pre restrictions are one of many tools that we have available to protect Canadians uh and respond to outbreaks around the world. Uh we are doing many different things right now including enhanced screening at our borders. We are partnering with the World Health Organization as well as with Africa CDC uh to make sure that we have uh approaches that are based on up-to-date information based on evidence-based information. And so we want to make sure that we are contributing to the response on the ground to help control the outbreak where it's occurring as well as having appropriate measures in place so that should anybody come to Canada that we are ready with our enhanced screening and that all of our sites across the country uh are prepared for should there ever be presentation of a case or even possible case that they have all of the measures in place to be able to respond safely and protect Canadians and healthcare workers as well as the individuals who are requiring assistance.

[00:22:50]>> Okay, thank you.

[00:22:52]>> Thank you. Uh I we now have Christy Kirk up the Globe and Mail. Please go ahead.

[00:23:04]>> Hello. Can you hear me?

[00:23:08]>> Yes. Go ahead.

[00:23:09]>> Great. Thank you. Um thank you, Dr. Rhymer. I I'm wondering um you talked about enhanced screening at the border.

[00:23:17]Um, can you detail what those enhanced screening measures are and when they came into effect?

[00:23:25]>> Yeah, perhaps I can start and then I don't know if CBSA may want to add uh any additional details. Uh, so we have added additional screening questions on entry to the country which as I've just returned from Switzerland, I can personally attest that I was asked additional questions regarding whether I had traveled to the area, whether I had any symptoms that uh could be related to Ebola. So that is something that is occurring. We've also uh brought additional uh staff into our most common uh ports of entry so that we do have quarantine officials uh quarantine officers, sorry, as well as other appropriate staff available to manage should anybody uh come to the border and uh demonstrate any risk factors that we would want to have more closely assessed. But I will turn over to CBSA so they can potentially provide any additional details.

[00:24:12]>> No, thank you. So, um yeah, we have enhanced our questioning at the primary inspection kiosk and across some applications. And just a reminder, um our officers are designated as screening officers under the quarantine act and are well trained in the event that a traveler displays um any symptoms of illness. Thank you.

[00:24:30]>> I'm just wondering as a followup, when did these measures come into effect?

[00:24:35]I've just been covering this closely, so this this is news. So, I'm just wondering when when did this kick in?

[00:24:43]I can I can take that. The the enhanced questioning at the ports of entry uh kicked in on May 20th.

[00:24:50]>> Thank you.

[00:24:52]>> All right. I believe Hannah Albera from Canadian Press is back. Uh please go ahead.

[00:25:00]>> Yeah. Can you hear me this time?

[00:25:03]>> Yes, absolutely.

[00:25:04]>> Can you hear me this time?

[00:25:06]>> Yes, we can hear you.

[00:25:07]>> Okay, wonderful. Um, sorry about that.

[00:25:09]And and thank you so much for this update. Um, Dr. Rhymer, I just wanted to ask uh you mentioned that you're going to be uh you're going to be giving advice to uh to your colleagues next week. Um, you know, what what would it take for you to recommend a travel ban at this point in time?

[00:25:30]>> Yes. So, there's a number of issues that are changing rapidly as we learn more about this outbreak. And so it's important that we look at how effective things like travel bans are. We need to be looking at whether or not there is any evidence that the outbreak is escaping the area that it's currently concentrated. We also need to be looking at things like how the virus is spread.

[00:25:50]I want to really highlight that Ebola is very different than respiratory viruses like COVID. The way that it spread is from much closer and prolonged contact.

[00:26:00]Uh and so we do need to manage this virus differently than how we did with things like COVID or influenza or measles. Uh and so there's a lot of different factors that we need to be partnering with the World Health Organization, with Africa CDC, and with other countries around the world uh in providing the best advice we can to our decision makers so that they can make decisions uh about border control measures.

[00:26:28]And how common is it to test travelers for from Africa for Ebola? Like will this become more common practice now that the outbreak is spreading? Um it's been considered high risk as you said.

[00:26:41]Um are are you currently testing other people apart from that one person from Ontario for Ebola in Canada?

[00:26:50]So testing for Ebola would be um would only be for people who are presenting symptoms that could be consistent with Ebola as well as an exposure that uh would put them at risk for Ebola. So for example, someone who has no travel history, no exposure to any other people who are ill with Ebola uh would not necessarily be tested for Ebola if their risk of being uh exposed to that virus were were negligible. Uh so the individual in Ontario was out of an abundance of precaution because they did have travel to Ethiopia uh and may have had some exposures there that was individually assessed by their clinician in Ontario as well as with Ontario public health officials when that decision was made. Uh so we're not testing uh all people who have traveled to areas where there may be Ebola, but rather testing is reserved for those people who have symptoms. One of the helpful uh things about Ebola is that it is transmitted only by people who are showing symptoms or by contaminated objects um uh or samples. Uh and so that is something that we uh are able to reserve for people who are presenting with symptoms.

[00:28:11]Um symptom symptom Um, for example, Sicy.

[00:29:56]Greg, are you are you still there? If so, you're you're you're muted.

[00:30:46]This is Jean Fran from the press gallery. I'm trying to reach Greg. I don't know what's uh is going on. I don't know if Christie or Hannah Hannah, you both had your hands up. I don't know if you still had questions. Hannah, I think we just went to a question from you. So, how about Christie Kirkup from the Glob and Mail?

[00:31:01]>> No, I'm I'm good. Thank you.

[00:31:02]>> Thank you.

[00:31:06]All right. So, Greg is saying he's speaking, but we're not hearing him. So, we can figure this out later. But I don't see any other questions in the room right now. So, unless anybody else has any last minute questions, we can end this tech briefing.

[00:31:32]Thank you very much. Mercibbuku poeta.