Ontario's health minister says the province is enhancing its ability to contain and treat any potential case of Ebola.
Dr. Eric Hoskins has asked Ontario's chief medical officer to issue a directive to hospitals and other acute care settings about new personal protective equipment and training requirements, as well as enhanced procedures to contain and treat Ebola.
Hoskins says that while the risk of transmission of the disease is very low, it's very important that front line healthcare workers feel safe and protected.
There are no confirmed cases of Ebola in Canada.
Hoskins says 10 hospitals across the province are being designated as referral centres to treat potential cases of Ebola due to the sophisticated infection control systems they have in place. Windsor Regional Hosptial was not included as an Ebola treatment location.The closest treatment centre to the Rose City is the London Health Sciences Centre.
Windsor West MP Brian Masse released a statement late Friday afternoon, stating that Canadian Border Service Agency officers, "Are meant to receive training on spotting potentially ill travelers and have authority to quarantine anyone that is suspected of having travelled to one of the affected areas if there is suspicion of infection."
Masse says if a traveller lies to an officer about visiting an affected area, the individual could face a fine up to $300,000 jail time. He says he will continue to oppose any staffing reductions at the Windsor-Detroit border.
Starting next week, Hoskins says Ebola specimens will be tested at Public Health Ontario's provincial labs, allowing for faster test results.
The province is also outfitting ambulances to safely transport potential cases of Ebola to designated hospitals, and is enhancing the province's stock of personal protective equipment like N95 protective respirators.
With files from The Canadian Press.
