BELTON, Texas (Bell Co. Health Dist.) - A second presumptive positive case of COVID 19 has been identified in Bell County.
The county has the only presumptive cases of the virus in Central Texas.
Bell County Public Health District identified the second presumptive case late Sunday night.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still must confirm the results.
The individual is a 70-year-old man living in the Belton area with a travel history to Europe.
The Bell County Public Health District initiated what it described as a "self-isolation protocol and contact tracing for this case."
Bell County is currently in Stage 2 of its COVID 19 Action Plan, which is being amended Monday to recommend that all gatherings of 50 or more people be canceled or postponed.
This action is being taken in accordance with guidance from both the CDC and the Bell County Public Health District, said Bell County Judge David Blackburn.
I urge event organizers to heed the recommendation and cancel or postpone events scheduled within the next eight weeks.
The initial Bell County COVID 19 Action Plan, released on March 12, 2020, did not include recommendations about the size of gatherings.
The county announced its first presumptive case on Friday.
The 29-year-old Belton man, who works at Laerdal Medical in Gatesville, visited Barcelona, Spain and Paris between March 4 and March 10.
Coryell County Judge Roger Miller issued a disaster declaration as a result of case.
Miller said six people in Copperas Cove were "exhibiting signs of illness."
They are all Laerdal employees.
On Monday Coryell County officials said two of the six tested positive for something other than the new coronavirus and results of tests performed on a third person were pending.
Information about the status of the other three wasn't available Monday.
A City of Woodway Public Safety Department employee asked to be allowed to self-quarantine because the employee's roommate was in contact with the Belton man although neither the employee nor the roommate was showing any signs of the virus.
The city said it made accommodations for the employee to work from home for 14 days as a precaution, and is monitoring that employees health on a daily basis during that time.
Woodways priority is and always will be the health and safety of our residents and our employees, Woodway Mayor Bob Howard said.
That employees prompt action is indicative of the type of people we have working for our city, taking a proactive stance to protect others, Howard said.
Bell County COVID19 Action Plan
Stage 1 (no confirmed cases of COVID19) Stay home if you are sick Avoid contact with persons who are sick Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unclean hands Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throw the tissue away Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces with a disinfectant Dont travel to areas with active community spread of COVID19 Wash your hands with soap and water regularly and use hand sanitizers with at least 60% of alcohol content when soap and water are not available
Stage 2 (a confirmed case of COVID19) All of Stage 1 measures Actively practice social distancing whenever possible maintain 6 feet distance from other persons Avoid physical contact with other persons in social and workplace settings Recommend all gatherings of 50 or more persons be canceled or postponed
Stage 3 (community spread of COVID19) All Stage 1 & Stage 2 measures Bell County &/or BCPHD may issue orders restricting and/or prohibiting mass gatherings and/or movement of people
GEAUGA COUNTY, Ohio Health officials in Geauga County have reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19, according to a release from Geauga Public Health.
Geauga Public Health strongly urges all residents to adhere to the governors order and expand upon them voluntarily where possible.
Health officials said while the number of cases continue to rise sharply in Ohio, Geauga Public Health said it can assume three things with great confidence:
First, models suggest there are more people in Geauga County who are already infected and contagious but who are experiencing such mild symptoms that they have not sought medical care and have not been tested. Planning is currently underway to increase access to testing.
Second, the number of confirmed cases will increase moving forward. We are on the front end of this public health threat and should expect our routines to change significantly in the months to come.
Third, because there is no vaccine, the only strategies we have at hand to address the pandemic depend on everyone changing their normal behaviors such as practicing social distancing. These strategies are most effective when they are applied preemptively
Below you can find information and resources on novel coronavirus, COVID-19, from local, state, national and international organizations, including the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the Ohio Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization.
News 5 will continue to update this section with new information, resources, links, and more as it is made available.
COVID-19/2019 Novel Coronavirus Overview from the CDC:
What is coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)? Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.
Can people in the U.S. get COVID-19? Yes. COVID-19 is spreading from person to person in parts of the United States. Risk of infection with COVID-19 is higher for people who are close contacts of someone known to have COVID-19, for example healthcare workers, or household members. Other people at higher risk for infection are those who live in or have recently been in an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19. Learn more about places with ongoing spread here.
Have there been cases of COVID-19 in the U.S.? Yes. The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was reported on January 21, 2020. The current count of cases of COVID-19 in the United States is available on CDCs webpage here.
How does COVID-19 spread? The virus that causes COVID-19 probably emerged from an animal source, but is now spreading from person to person. The virus is thought to spread mainly between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Learn what is known about the spread of newly emerged coronaviruses here.
Download and read the CDC's full "What you need to know about coronavirus disease (COVID-19)" information sheet here.
Global case numbers are reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in their coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation report.
News 5
Coronavirus in Ohio:
As of Saturday, March 13, there were 26 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ohio 11 are in Cuyahoga County, 3 in Stark County, 2 in Belmont County, 4 in Butler County, 2 in Summit County, 1 in Franklin County and 2 in Trumbull County. A total of 264 persons were under investigation for the disease. See the Coronavirus information page on the Ohio Department of Health's website for the latest numbers of confirmed cases and persons under investigation.
According to the governor, two of the confirmed cases are from a married couple that went on a cruise on the Nile River. The third Cuyahoga County case is from a person that went to the AIPAC conference in Washington D.C. According to a cantor from the Jewish Temple in Beachwood, 160 people from Cleveland attended the conference. The three patients are between 54 and 56-years-old, according to officials. Read more on those cases here.
On Wednesday, health officials announced a fourth case in Ohio - a man in his mid-50s in Stark County. This case is the first example in the state of "community spread," meaning the man had not traveled out of the country, and had no known contact with an international traveler. Read more on that case here.
The fifth case, announced Thursday, was in a 55-year-old Trumbull County man.
On Wednesday, DeWine announced some measures to stem the spread of coronavirus: limiting visits to nursing homes and holding sporting events without spectators.
On Thursday, DeWine took the state's response to the next level with two orders representing major, wide-ranging steps to stop the spread of the disease: an order prohibiting "mass gatherings" of over 100 people, with exceptions, and an order to close all Ohio K-12 schools for three weeks beginning at the end of the school day on Monday, March 16.
During that news conference, ODH Director Amy Acton also revealed that their department believes that at least 100,000 Ohioans are currently carrying the disease, a claim that has made national headlines.
On Friday, DeWine announced several new steps the state is taking to prevent the spread of coronavirus and provide relief to Ohio's residents, including an order stopping visitations at county jails, providing free breakfasts and lunches to Ohio's K-12 students, and a request to the Trump administration for regulatory and other relief as necessary.
Coronavirus' Impacts in Northeast Ohio:
Since the announcement of confirmed cases in Ohio, a number of local events, schools, facilities and more have announced closures, cancellations, postponements and changes as a result of coronavirus. News 5 is working to keep this information updated in the links below:
Here's a list of things in Northeast Ohio closed due to coronavirus concerns
Multiple Ohio colleges suspend in-person classes due to coronavirus concerns
The City of Cleveland has canceled its St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Cleveland International Film Festival, and issued a civil emergency in response to COVID-19.
News 5's Coronavirus continuing coverage page
Worldwide Coronavirus Tracker from Johns Hopkins University
EPA releases list of approved disinfectants to use against COVID-19
How to protect yourself from coronavirus when flyingCuyahoga County Medical Director answers your questions about coronavirusThink you may have the coronavirus? Heres what to do
A state of emergency was issued in Ohio following 3 positive COVID-19 cases. Here's what it means.The symptoms of coronavirus are fever and lower respiratory tract issues, such as cough and shortness of breath, according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.Cuyahoga County Medical Director answers your questions about coronavirus
The symptoms of coronavirus are fever and lower respiratory tract issues, such as cough and shortness of breath, according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.
CDC
Anyone traveling internationally should review plans in advance of their trip, and check the CDCs COVID-19 Travel Information Page for daily updates and travel alerts.
Click here for the CDC COVID-19 Travel Information Page
CDC
Anyone traveling internationally should review plans in advance of their trip, and check the CDCs COVID-19 Travel Information Page for daily updates and travel alerts.The CCBH recommends the following good hygiene practices to prevent coronavirus, as well as the flu, colds and other illnesses:Click here for the CDC COVID-19 Travel Information PageSneeze or cough into the bend of your elbow to keep germs from spreadingRegularly wash your hands with soap and water/use alcohol-based hand sanitizer in betweenDont share cups, spoons, forks, etc. with anyoneDont make food for anyone if you are sickDont go to work or school if you are sickVisit a doctor, urgent care or emergency department if you are sick dont take chancesRegularly wash your hands with soap and water/use alcohol-based hand sanitizer in betweenPlease contact your medical provider with any questions.Dont make food for anyone if you are sickDont go to work or school if you are sickVisit a doctor, urgent care or emergency department if you are sick dont take chances
Please contact your medical provider with any questions.Click here for specific guidance from the CCBH for anyone at higher risk for becoming ill.
Click here for specific guidance from the CCBH for anyone at higher risk for becoming ill.
Cuyahoga County: See the CCBH page on coronavirus here.
Cuyahoga County: See the CCBH page on coronavirus here.Ohio Department of Health:
It is updated daily at 2 p.m. with the current number of confirmed cases, persons under investigation and persons under investigation who tested negative for the disease.Ohio Department of Health: More resources from ODH:Click here for the Ohio Department of Healths Coronavirus information page.Fact sheetPrevention infographic Resources and informationMore resources from ODH:
Fact sheetPrevention infographic Ohio Secretary of State:
Ohio Secretary of State:Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCorona Facts: Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has launched a web page dedicated to providing facts about coronavirus' impacts on voting and the Primary Election in Ohio. The CCBH has created this list of coronavirus-related resources from the CDC:
Homepage for COVID-19 materials and informationCenters for Disease Control and PreventionFact sheet ChineseFact sheet EnglishFact sheet SpanishHomepage for COVID-19 materials and informationGuidance for businessesGuidance for colleges and universitiesGuidance for communities and mass gatheringsGuidance for healthcare facilitiesGuidance for healthcare professionalsGuidance for people with elevated risk for illnessGuidance for pregnant womenGuidance for risk assessmentGuidance for schoolsGuidance for travelersGuidance for people with elevated risk for illnessWhat you can do to stop the spread of COVID-19 ChineseWhat you can do to stop the spread of COVID-19 EnglishWhat you can do to stop the spread of COVID-19 SpanishGuidance for travelersIf you are sick with COVID-19 ChineseIf you are sick with COVID-19 EnglishIf you are sick with COVID-19 SpanishWhat you can do to stop the spread of COVID-19 SpanishPreventing spread of COVID-19 at election/polling/voting locationsPrevention and treatmentSymptoms overviewIf you are sick with COVID-19 Spanish
Preventing spread of COVID-19 at election/polling/voting locationsPrevention and treatmentWorld Health Organization
Mythbusters the truth about food, packages, pets and other things related to COVID-19
Video What is COVID-19?Video What is my risk of getting COVID-19?Video How can I protect myself from COVID-19?Mythbusters the truth about food, packages, pets and other things related to COVID-19
Video What is COVID-19?Video What is my risk of getting COVID-19?Video How can I protect myself from COVID-19?
Juan Sanchez Ramirez and his wife are both doctors. Lately, conversations around the dinner table have revolved around questions of how theyd care for their 2-year-old daughter when coronavirus virus victims start streaming into hospitals, demanding long shifts and unpredictable hours from caregivers.
We dont have family in state, Sanchez Ramirez said. Obviously, we want to be at the hospitals doing what we can to help.
Ramirez is grateful that a group of University of Minnesota medical students, who are no longer physically attending classes due to the pandemic, have started to organize themselves to help medical providers when the expected coronavirus surge happens.
The students are offering to assist doctors, nurses and others with babysitting, dog-walking or chores like grocery shopping so they can focus on taking care of patients.
It will allow us not to have to miss work unless someone in the family is quarantined, Sanchez Ramirez said. It will allow us to be at the hospital, at the clinic, helping people.
University of Minnesota medical student Sruthi Shankar
Submitted photo
The University of Minnesota medical students are mostly too early in their education to have clinical experience that could help in actual medical treatment, said co-organizer Sruthi Shankar.
From what Ive seen coming out of other places like China and Italy, were just kind of hitting the front end of the storm, and its perhaps going to get more intense and stressful, Shankar said. We could see that people needed us, and we also are hungry to help. We want to be there because this is what we signed up for.
The medical students at the university are inspired by French medical students, and students on both coasts, who have taken similar steps, said co-organizer Sara Lederman, a second-year medical student.
Medical is so much more about what happens in the walls of a hospital, its helping every way you can, Lederman said. Its about service, and thats sort of the spirit that a lot of my peers came into medical school valuing.
In the first day after the plan launched Friday, dozens of students had already volunteered to help. At first, it was friends and acquaintances, but now Lederman doesnt know the students who are volunteering.
The online surveys the students are using allow volunteers to check boxes showing the services they can offer, like grocery shopping or babysitting. Lederman said some volunteers are suggesting more unique forms of support, including one person who said they were willing to just talk to people on the phone if theyre feeling lonely.
Its important to the medical students that they connect volunteers with medical providers in a way thats safest for everyone during this uncertain time of viral pandemic.
Having the impulse to help obviously is really beautiful and really exciting and really good, at the same time we want to make sure that its done in a way thats controlled, Lederman said. Thats the due diligence that needs to be done on the part of anyone who is organizing to help during these really scary times.
Medical providers are already adjusting their schedules and changing vacation plans to get ready for the expected surge in infections to hit hospitals, said Dr. Rene Crichlow, a family medicine physician and faculty member at the University of Minnesotas medical school.
The all-hands-on-deck approach is an attempt to build capacity at hospitals for the surge as the sickest and most severely-affected patients seek treatment, Crichlow said.
That kind of surge capacity is great for workforce, but its really challenging for family: the idea that well be doing more overnight calls, more frequent calls, longer calls, Crichlow said. You still need to feed your families, you still need to get groceries, you still need to be sure your kids, especially your younger kids, are well-cared for.
Medical providers will need help from the broader society to make sure their own families are taken care of as they care for members of other peoples families, Crichlow said.
The biggest thing is, were out there trying to care for the public, and its really, really heartening that there are people thinking about caring for the folks that are on the frontlines, Crichlow said. We talk about a surge capacity for the workforce, I feel like theyre a surge capacity for compassion.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus decision to tighten Canadas borders in an effort to flatline the number of COVID-19 cases in the country was met with mixed reaction from experts on Monday.
The prime minister announced that Canada will be closing its borders to foreign travellers, with the exceptions of air crews, diplomats, immediate family members of citizens and U.S. citizens.
Trudeau also said that air operators will ban anyone who is showing symptoms of the virus from getting on a plane.
Anna Banerji, director of global and Indigenous health at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, told Global News that the move is not an over-reaction, but is warranted.
I think if you look, most of the cases are related to travel coming from certain parts of the world, Banerji said.
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Its really the people who have been travelling and coming back who are sick and have the potential to spread it to other people.
Four people in Canada have died of COVID-19, while provincial authorities reported 403 confirmed cases Monday afternoon, as well as 15 presumptive cases. Ten cases have been resolved.
Banerji said Canada doesnt have the outbreak that some European countries are dealing with, and curbing travel is a good way of lowering the chances.
Alison Thompson, a professor at the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health, was less certain that such drastic travel limits would be effective.
Its generally not considered an effective way to manage the spread because its already here. Its a little bit like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped, Thompson said.
Thompson said officials could have other aims in mind, such as reassuring the public that they are willing to make drastic decisions for their safety.
It may be the optics of it that theyre going for, she said.
Theres been a lot of clamouring for this, so maybe its a way of showing that theyre being responsive to public concerns. But its not really aligned with what the WHO is recommending.
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Earlier this month, the World Health Organization said that large-scale travel bans are not recommended.
In late February, the organization recommended against travel bans except in very limited circumstances, saying they are ineffective in most situations and may divert resources from other interventions.
That hasnt stopped countries from imposing travel restrictions.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping restrictions on travel to the United States from Europe last week. The European Union also announced limits on non-essential travel Monday.
Days before announcing the sweeping travel restrictions, Canadian officials also casted doubt over their effectiveness.
Health Minister Patty Hajdu told reporters last week that viruses dont know borders.
What we have to remember is viruses dont know borders, she told reporters.
A border is not going to contain the virus. The borders are important measures though for making sure that people have important information about what to do when theyre in a particular country should they find themselves ill.
Hajdu added: Canadians think we can stop this at the border, but what we see is this is a global pandemic meaning that border measures are highly ineffective and in some cases can create harm.
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The health minister noted the example of Italy, which placed travel restrictions early on but is now dealing with one of the worst outbreaks in the world. As of Monday, Italy had more than 27,980 cases, with 2,158 deaths.
On Monday, Trudeau commented on Hajdus remarks from last week, saying that the governments opinion has changed.
In Canada, we based our decisions on public health recommendations that ensured that Canadas approach worked for many, many weeks and keeping a very slow spread of the virus in Canada, but through contact tracing and other measures, he said.
Weve now come to the point where the best advice from public health officials is that additional border member measures, on top of the social distancing measures that we are encouraging domestically, is the right combination to move forward.
While there is some disagreement on border closures, both Banerji and Thompson agreed that its vital for Canadians to monitor their health, practice social distancing and self-isolate if needed in an honest and effective manner.
Its impossible to police that, because there are so many people who are coming back from overseas. I think its really important for people to do that, I guess on an honour system, to do that to protect other people.
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Canadians have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days after returning from international travel. Those who are sick, or have a confirmed case of COVID-19, have also been told to isolate.
Thats really the most effective thing that we can do, Thompson said.
With files from The Canadian Press
2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
HONOLULU (KHON2) Another presumptive positive case for the coronavirus has been announced, bringing up the state total to seven cases on March 15.
A total of about 80 test results received from Clinical Labs of Hawaii on March 14 are being reviewed by the Department of Health. Three of the test results were positive and the rest of the test results were negative. Some of the negative reports were duplicated and required additional review.
According to Governor David Ige, the seventh case is an Oahu resident who returned from a trip to Florida with the entire family on March 8. The next day, the patient reported having a cough and was then tested on March 10. That person is self-isolating from the rest of the family and is staying in a bedroom with a dedicated bathroom. Other family members have been advised to remain at home, quarantined and isolated away from the sick family member.
The sixth case announced on March 14 is located on Maui. County officials said the result came back positive for one Person Under Investigation on Maui.
The patient is a female flight attendant on Air Canada who is a visitor to Maui island. State officials say that they believe she is a citizen of Canada. The woman reportedly stayed at the Royal Lahaina Resort on Maui and began to show symptoms on March 9. Her last flight was reportedly on March 8.
We believe that the risk to any passengers on the previous flight is low, Ige said.
State officials said that a specimen was collected on March 11. It was reported that the woman was exposed to a confirmed case in Germany on March 4. Because of the notification of exposure and the symptoms she began to show, the woman self-isolated herself at the Royal Lahaina Resort Hotel after she received a positive test result.
She was later moved by the AMR to a Lahaina clinic. Officials emphasized that she is no longer at the resort and that she is currently in isolation monitored by the State Health Department.
Prior to this announcement around 6:40 p.m. on March 14, Honolulu officials announced the fifth positive case. According to Ige on March 15, the patient is an Oahu resident who traveled to Colorado between February 29 through March 7. That patient reportedly started showing symptoms on March 9 and was tested on March 11.
Officials say that the family members of that patient were advised to stay at home and self-quarantine. A child in the home later started exhibiting respiratory symptoms and was tested by the Department of Health. That test sample came back negative for COVID-19. The childs preschool was notified that a relative in the home tested positive.
There is no risk for the children at the preschool of the staff, Ige said. The child will not be returning to the preschool until after the quarantine period is completed.
Hawaiis first confirmed case is an adult male who had been on the Grand Princess and is currently in mild to moderate condition. The second case announced is an elderly adult of Oahu who had traveled from Washington State, fell ill, and traveled back to Hawaii. The patient is currently in serious condition.
On March 13, two more cases were announced by Kauai officials. According to the State, a visiting couple from the mainland arrived on Maui on March 2 and stayed at a hotel in Lahaina. On March 8, the couple then traveled to Kauai on Hawaiian Airlines flight 149 and reportedly stayed at the Kauai Marriot Resort, which is located in Lihue.
You can watch the full press conference that was held on March 15 below:
Updates will be shared as information becomes available to us.
EAGLE COUNTY With a new week dawning and Eagle County residents hunkering down to meet the local COVID-19 scenario, Eagle County Public Safety is stressing there has been a change in response focus.
With community-level transmission, the testing and screening guidance is shifting.
Now that we have rapidly identified the arrival of COVID-19 in our community, our focus is to slow the spread of the virus, protect our medical infrastructure, and protect the most vulnerable people in our community, said Eagle County Director of Communications Kris Widlak. Testing all patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19 is no longer recommended. A key priority is to shift our testing to people that are at greatest risk for severe disease, complications, and death.
With limited testing resources, Eagle County is prioritizing testing for high-risk patients only, said Rebecca Larson, Eagle County Disease Prevention and Control manager. This means that the number of lab-confirmed tests may not reflect the true spread of the COVID-19 virus in our county. To help us track the virus spread, we need the communitys help. If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms that could be related to the COVID-19 virus, including headache, fever, cough, or other respiratory symptoms, please fill out our survey.
You can fill out a symptoms report form here.
Vail Health on Monday also outlined new protocols to further protect hospital staff and patients from COVID-19 exposure. The following operational changes apply to Vail Health Hospital and throughout the communitys health care system.
Our top priority in this ever-changing scenario continues to be protecting our staff and patients, said Amanda Veit, Vail Health Chief Operating Officer. We want to continue providing essential care and emergency care to meet the needs of our community, and that requires us to continually evaluate and adjust based on the situation.
Vail Health is encouraging all patients with respiratory issues and employees entering either Vail Health Hospital, Colorado Mountain Medical, or Shaw Cancer Center to wear surgical masks.
In addition, Vail Health Hospital is further reducing its visitor policy. No visitors will be allowed into Vail Health Hospital. Patients should plan ahead to be dropped off without anyone coming into the facility with them. Screening for COVID-19 symptoms will continue for anyone entering the facility.
The following operational shifts are in effect within the Vail Health system:
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on Sunday issued a statement askingresidents and visitors to Eagle County, and three other mountain communities, to minimize their contact with other people in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Anyone who has been in Eagle, Summit, Pitkin or Gunnison counties in the past week should minimize all contact with other people, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms, the statement said.
Eagle County now has 25 presumed positive cases of COVID-19, the second-most among Colorado counties. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says all presumptive positive cases are now considered positive. CDC is no longer performing confirmatory testing.
Were seeing extensive outbreaks in these communities, Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist, said in a written statement. We are asking people to take this voluntary action to slow the spread of the disease in Colorado and keep people safe. If we do this now, our hope is that we can slow down the spread of this virus and lessen the potential stress on our health care systems and workers.
One of the reasons Eagle County may have so many confirmed cases is because it has done so many tests. According to Vail Health, it has sent more than 400 samples to the state lab, with more than 200 results still pending.
Sally Welsh, Vail Healths director of public relations, wrote in a text that Vail Healths assessment is that Eagle County has submitted more samples, per capita, than any county in the state.
Vail Health has begun to send tests to private commercial labs as well, given that turnaround times on tests to the state lab have slowed considerably as more tests arrive.
Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, cough, or shortness of breath.
Those who are experiencing symptoms but are not getting tested are asked to self-report symptoms at https://bit.ly/39XFRne.Widlak urged residents to self-report because the information will provide local officials with data about community spread.
The following patients with COVID-19 symptoms are considered at the highest priority for testing:
Any other patients can be tested per health care provider judgment.
Widlak stressed that if someone suspects he or she has contracted COVID-19, with or without a test to confirm those suspicions, the treatment and recommendations are the same.
There isnt a vaccine and there isnt a cure, she said. Stay home if you are sick and stay hydrated.
Ill. (KWQC) - There are now over 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Illinois.
Officials announced Monday that there are an additional 12 cases; bringing the state total to 105 in 15 counties in Illinois.
You can read the full statement below.
"The Illinois Department of Public Health today announced 12 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) across Illinois. Two additional counties are now reporting cases, Peoria and Will counties. Other locations with cases include Chicago and Champaign, Clinton, Cook, Cumberland, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Sangamon, St. Clair, Whiteside, Winnebago, and Woodford counties.
We know there is a lot of concern as the number of cases and locations increase, said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. However, not everyone who has respiratory symptoms like cough and shortness of breath needs to be tested. Similarly, not everyone who is infected with novel coronavirus needs medical treatment. We want to make sure those at higher risk of severe illness are prioritized for testing and that they can receive the medical care they need. We ask those who have mild symptoms to stay home so the health care system is not overwhelmed.
Information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild. However, older people and people of all ages with severe chronic medical conditions, like heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes, seem to be at higher risk of developing serious illness. It is crucial that we limit contact with older people and those with certain health conditions.
Currently, IDPH is reporting 105 cases in 15 counties in Illinois. Cases have occurred in all age ranges and the number of cases that do not have a clear connection to travel or a known COVID-19 case is increasing.
Social distancing measures, such as working from home when possible, limiting the amount of time spent in the community, and trying to avoid public transportation as much as possible, will help reduce the number of people who become sick at any given time and the possibility of exhausting our health care resources.
For information about how you, your school, workplace, and community can prepare, please visit Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities. For general questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
A list of local health departments can be found on the IDPH website."
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Instruction
As the nations risk advisor, CISA brings our partners in industry and the full power of the federal government together to improve American cyber and infrastructure security.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has beenmonitoring the evolving Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19 situation closely, taking part in interagency and industry coordination calls, and working with critical infrastructure partners to prepare for possible disruptions to critical infrastructure that may stem from widespread illness, should the virus take hold in the U.S.
CISA continues to work closely with federal partners to prepare the nation for possible impacts of a COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. This whole-of-nation effort is led by Health and Human Services through the Centers for Disease Control, with all other agencies, including CISA, in a support role.
The first and best source of authoritative information on COVID-19 is coronavirus.gov, where visitors will find information on the virus itself, situation updates, and tailored information for audiences including communities, schools, and businesses, as well as others.
Of note, CDC has posted interim guidance for businesses and employers to plan and respond to COVID-19, and CDC will update this interim guidance as needed and as additional information becomes available.
Check back for updates and additional information
GSA has created a landing page on USA.gov for government-wide information related to COVID-19 activities.The page is located at https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus and the Spanish page is at https://gobierno.usa.gov/coronavirus.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) efforts in preparedness and readiness have facilitated a speedy, whole-of-government response in confronting COVID-19, keeping Americans safe, and helping detect and slow the spread of the virus. Learn more at https://www.dhs.gov/coronavirus.
The CISA Insights: Risk Management for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)provides executives a tool to help them think through physical, supply chain, and cybersecurity issues that may arise from the spread of Novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 has been detected in locations around the world, including multiple areas throughout the U.S. This is a rapidly evolving situation and for more information, visit the CDCs COVID-19 Situation Summary.
On March 6, 2020 the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released an alert reminding individuals to remain vigilant for scams related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Cyber actors may send emails with malicious attachments or links to fraudulent websites to trick victims into revealing sensitive information or donating to fraudulent charities or causes. Exercise caution in handling any email with a COVID-19-related subject line, attachment, or hyperlink, and be wary of social media pleas, texts, or calls related to COVID-19.
CISA encourages individuals to remain vigilant and take the following precautions.
On March 13, 2020, CISA released an alert encouraging organizations to adopt a heightened state of cybersecurity when considering alternate workplace options for their employees. Remote work optionsor teleworkrequire an enterprise virtual private network (VPN) solution to connect employees to an organizations information technology (IT) network.
The following are cybersecurity considerations regarding telework.
CISA encourages organizations to review the following recommendations when considering alternate workplace options.
WASHINGTON - CISA will continue to support our partners at HHS as they protect their IT systems. CISA has taken a number of steps over the last several weeks to increase cybersecurity preparedness across federal civilian agencies, including enhanced monitoring, issuing recommendations as agencies shift to telework, and identifying and protecting particularly important systems supporting COVID response efforts. Were confident that the measures weve all put into place are sufficient, and we will stay on the lookout for and defend against malicious activity.
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This article was first published on Jan. 27, 2020 and last updated on March 11, 2020.
Human coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that can cause a variety of illnesses ranging from the common cold to severe diseases like Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV). The World Health Organization says Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is a new strain that had not been previously identified in humans until late 2019.
Human coronavirus was first discovered in 1965 and accounts for many cases of the common cold. The virus gets its name from its crown-like shape. Coronaviruses are zoonotic, which means they're transmitted between animals and people. SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and researchers suspect MERS-CoV is transmitted from dromedary camels to humans.
Coronaviruses affect all age groups and most are not dangerous. They often only cause mild symptoms like a stuffy nose, cough and sore throat that can be treated with rest and over-the-counter medications. Most coronaviruses spread like any other cold viruses spread, including:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says people in the United States who get a coronavirus will usually get infected in the fall and winter, though it can happen any time of the year. And most people will get infected with one or more of the common human coronaviruses (229E, NL63, OC43 and HKU1) during their lifetime.
Severe cases can lead to pneumonia, acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
While four strains of coronaviruses (229E, NL63, OC43 and HKU1) are typically not severe, three others have proven deadly. An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus (named SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, in early January 2020. Chinese health officials noted thousands of cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus, in China, and infections were reported in several international locations, including the U.S. Like other coronaviruses, the symptoms of novel coronavirus include fever, difficulty breathing and pneumonia, and the virus spreads via person-to-person contact.
At the time of the latest update, at least 4,290 people have died and more than 118,162 people have been infected with COVID-19 worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. China was home to more than 80,000 of the cases. The Chinese government took unprecedented steps to curb the virus by placing almost 60 million people on lockdown, and banning travel to and from 15 cities in the Chinese province of Hubei. Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also put the entire country, which includes 60 million residents, on lockdown on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, to contain the spread of the virus.
The United States also implemented travel restrictions that went into effect Feb. 3, 2020. The restrictions required any U.S. citizen returning to the states from China to a mandatory 14 day quarantine, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a press briefing. The U.S. also announced enhanced screening and quarantine measures for Americans returning from Italy and South Korea.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also called out the National Guard on Tuesday, March 10, to help create a 1-mile containment area in New Rochelle, New York, to help stop what is being called a "cluster" of COVID-19 cases.
While it's been reported the virus might have originated in a food market in Wuhan, the World Health Organization says not enough is known about the epidemiology of this strain of coronavirus to fully understand its features, how its transmitted and its origins.
The new coronavirus' incubation period is still unknown. However, health officials at the WHO assume it is about 14 days; they are not aware if people are contagious during the incubation period.
People should can take steps to protect themselves from COVID-19. Here's how:
The other two deadly coronaviruses are SARS and MERS. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a type of coronavirus that was first reported in Asia in February 2003. Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans. Due to its contagious nature, SARS became a world epidemic, spreading to 32 countries and infecting 8,459 people. Many of the people who contracted SARS also developed pneumonia, and almost 800 people died as a result of SARS.
SARS generally starts with a high fever (higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit [38 degrees Celsius]), and leads to headache and body aches. Other symptoms include diarrhea and mild respiratory issues. After about a week, most people develop a cough and eventually pneumonia.
Like other coronaviruses, SARS spreads through person-to-person contact. But the CDC says the SARS virus might spread through the air or in other ways that are still not known. The good news is since 2004 there has not been any recorded case of SARS.
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a type of coronavirus that was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It has since spread to several other countries, including the United States. Most people infected with MERS-CoV developed severe respiratory illness, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. The World Health Organization has documented 2,494 cases of MERS since 2012 and 858 deaths.
The symptoms of MERS are similar to other coronaviruses and include:
Research has suggested that MERS is spread via person-to-person contact; however, some evidence has shown that dromedary camels also are a major host for MERS-CoV and source of MERS infection in humans. The WHO is still not clear on how the virus jumped from animals to humans, but strains of MERS that are identical to human strains have been isolated from camels in several countries, including Egypt, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
There currently is no vaccine for MERS, but scientists are working on creating one. In the meantime, the best ways to protect yourself from MERS are to:
Last editorial update on Mar 10, 2020 05:06:45 pm.
