Diners at popular chain restaurant may have been exposed to COVID-19: Vancouver Coastal Health

VANCOUVER -- Health officials are alerting the public to a possible COVID-19 exposure in Vancouver.

A person or people known to have the disease spent time at a location of Cactus Club Café.

Those who were at the restaurant on Davie Street on any of the seven days outlined in a notice from Vancouver Coastal Health are advised to self-monitor for symptoms.

The exposure occurred on Jan. 24, as well as between Jan. 27 and Feb. 1. VCH has not said how many people with the novel coronavirus are known to have been at the restaurant, nor has it said whether the person or people work at the restaurant.

Exposures such as these are generally considered low risk, but health authorities notify the public in case of transmission.

There is no known risk to anyone who was at the location outside of those dates, VCH said.

Those who were at the restaurant are asked to monitor their health.

If no symptoms of COVID-19 develop, there is no need to self-isolate.

However, if a person develops even mild symptoms, they're asked to isolate and call their family doctor or 811 to arrange a test.

Symptoms can include fever or chills, cough, loss of sense of taste or smell and difficulty breathing. Some have reported a sore throat, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue, headache, body aches, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea, VCH says.

Also last month, exposure notices were posted by the health authority for Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar, Hail Mary's, Rumble Boxing and Denny's on Southwest Marine Drive in Vancouver.

The only other recent notifications have been at the following businesses in Whistler: El Furniture Warehouse, Hy's Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar, The Longhorn Saloon, Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub, Black's Pub, Buffalo Bill's Bar and Grill and Amsterdam Café Pub.

Details of these possible exposures, as well as information on past incidents, are available on the health authority's website. 

These exposure alerts are only posted publicly if health officials have determined there's a risk and they're not able to contact everyone who may have been at the location at the time.