Masks flying off Edmonton shelves amid worldwide coronavirus scare

EDMONTON -- The face masks flying off the shelves at one Edmonton pharmacy are not being worn here — customers are sending them to family in China.

Market Drugs Medical ran out of face masks and ordered 60 more cases, which are expected to arrive Monday at the latest.

"Some people are buying several boxes at a time," Samantha McConnell, a pharmacy employee, told CTV News Edmonton. "Because of the outbreak in China people are concerned about the breathing, concerned about the symptoms."

On Friday, a second U.S. patient was diagnosed with the virus that has killed at least 26 people and infected more than 800.

There are no confirmed or suspected cases in Edmonton, AHS said.

Masks are also flying off the shelves in Vancouver, where a London Drugs pharmacy manager said N95 respirator masks are the best bet to protect against the disease, if worn properly.

Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath, and severe cases could develop pneumonia, kidney failure and death.

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  Face masks are sold out at one Edmonton pharmacy as the coronavirus case count increases across the world.