With cases of COVID-19 appearing in an ever-growing list of countries, health officials are considering stepping up Canada’s surveillance of the novel coronavirus disease.

“We’re talking with experts on how we might expand our surveillance, how we might expand our testing. We’re doing that right now,” said Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health at a press conference Thursday.

Right now, he said, doctors generally decide whether to get a patient tested on the basis of their symptoms, as well as their travel history.

However, if they believe it’s warranted, Ontario doctors have the discretion to get a test even if someone hasn’t visited an affected country.

But with nearly 60 countries reporting cases, and outbreaks in Iran, South Korea, Italy and China, the methods might change, he said.

“The fact is that we are identifying more and more travel, more and more issues.”

“So that’s our concern: are we moving into a new phase? Do we have to be attentive? Can we do a wider surveillance to say, maybe there are some out there, how are we going to know that?” Williams said.

“Let’s do a wider check and see.”

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