Canada will not rule out border closures to fight coronavirus

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gives a speech at a news conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday said he would not rule out closing the nation’s borders or forcing people arriving from foreign nations to go into self-isolation to help combat a coronavirus outbreak.

Asked whether Canada might shut its borders to Europe or the United States, Trudeau told CTV: “We have taken some very strong measures and we are not taking anything off the table.” So far 249 Canadians have tested positive and one person has died.

The fact the United States has ramped up its response to the outbreak “gives us significant things to think about,” he said.

Trudeau spoke from his residence, where he is in self-isolation after his wife Sophie tested positive for coronavirus. Trudeau said he and his three children were “doing fine”, while Sophie had a headache and was feeling “under the weather”.

The Liberal government will make significant fiscal announcements early next week to help Canadians and businesses hit by the outbreak, he added. Ottawa has already said it will do whatever it takes to protect the population.