CALGARY -- The province of Alberta now has its first presumptive case of the deadly COVID-19 virus.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health, provided details about the patient, who is a woman in her 50s and was on the Grand Princess cruise ship currently under quarantine off the coast of California.
She resides in the Calgary Zone and is currently in self-quarantine at home. Hinshaw added the patient has already taken precautions.
"This person returned to Alberta on Feb. 21 and went into self-quarantine on Feb. 28."
There are no details about the woman's activities prior to her going into self-quarantine.
"We have just identified this positive case today," Hinshaw says. "This is a single case, but the information that's been shared with me indicate this person did not have many contacts."
Hinshaw says anyone who was also onboard the cruise ship should take appropriate measures.
"I would like to ask anyone who was on the Grand Princess cruise ship to please stay home for at least 14 days, even if they are feeling well."
She says they will be using this case to make any changes they need to make.
"If any Albertan has questions or health concerns, I ask them to please call 811," Hinshaw says. "I continue to urge Albertans as I have always done, to stay home when they are sick and cover their coughs and sneezes."
More than 200 Canadians are still onboard the Grand Princess, which was returning from Hawaii to San Franscisco, Calif. with about 3,500 passengers.
A total of 267 Canadians, which includes eight team members, were onboard the ship for its voyage.
Concerns about a spread of COVID-19 on the ship were raised after a Sacramento, Calif. man, who had taken a voyage on the Grand Princess back in February, died from the virus on Wednesday. At least one other passenger from the previous trip has become infected.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday following the man’s death.
According to the Alberta Health Services' website, 173 Albertans were tested for the illness as of Feb. 28 and no cases were confirmed among those patients.
Dozens of cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Canada, with the most recent cases being confirmed in Ontario.
B.C. has also confirmed its first 'community case', where a person contracted the illness even though they hadn't travelled or been in contact with another patient.
(With files from CTVNews.ca)