California: Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Southern California areas COVID-19 cases and news

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.kcra.com/article/norcal-...reaks/31136854

NorCal school districts told to prepare for possible coronavirus outbreaks
KCRA Updated: 11:35 AM PST Feb 27, 2020
KCRA Staff
Remaining Time -3:54
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Northern California school districts said they have been notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, urging their sites to prepare for possible novel coronavirus outbreaks...

[Daisy]

My husband is a professor at American River College, part of Los Rios School District, though he teaches Sociology, he has many nursing students in his classes. It looks like these two students work in some capacity at UC Davis Med Center and were exposed to this new patient. So here is contract tracing as it unfolds in Sacramento.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

February 27, 2020
Both American River College (ARC) and Cosumnes River College (CRC) have learned that one student from each college – both who work as medical professionals – were exposed off campus to an individual who has since tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) and is being treated in Sacramento County. County health experts have indicated that there are no indications at this time that members of the campus communities are at risk of potential exposure to the virus.
The exposure to the two students happened last week while performing their professional duties. While both students did return to campus after the exposure, Sacramento County Public Health experts have directed both colleges to take no immediate action and proceed with regular class and work schedules at this time.
Out of an abundance of caution, these two students have been instructed by county health officials to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days. The students will be self-monitoring and will notify the county if any symptoms arise.
The colleges and district are in close contact with county health experts on this issue and are prepared to continue to follow their expert direction regarding appropriate next steps. More information will be forthcoming as this situation evolves.
If anyone has any questions about the coronavirus (COVID-19), then they should visit the Sacramento County Department of Health Services website for more information and effective preventive measures for the spread of respiratory viruses. Students, faculty, or staff who have any questions about impacts to the colleges should contact their campus Health Center.

https://losrios.edu/campus-life/news/coronavirus-update

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/message...unity-covid-19


Message to Campus Community on COVID-19
By News and Media Relations on February 27, 2020 in University

Chancellor Gary S. May and UC Davis Health Vice Chancellor and CEO David Lubarsky issued the following statement today (Feb. 27):

Dear UC Davis Community:

As you may be aware, a confirmed case of COVID-19 has been documented in a Solano County resident who is being treated at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. This case is being investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as possibly the first patient with no known exposure to the virus through travel or close contact with a known infected individual. Because of the precautions we have had in place since this patient’s arrival, we believe there has been minimal potential for exposure at the medical center.

To date, no one in Yolo County or on the UC Davis main campus has tested positive for COVID-19. We do want you to know, however, that out of an abundance of caution, three members of the campus community who had been living in Kearney Hall are currently in isolation. The CDC is testing one of them for COVID-19, and this person is not on campus. The other two individuals are asymptomatic, meaning they are not showing any symptoms of illness, so, following CDC guidance, they have not been tested.

As an additional precautionary measure, daily disinfection practices are being implemented within all Student Housing and Dining Services properties.

Additionally, all students seeking care at the Student Health and Wellness Center are being asked about recent travel and contact with people with known COVID-19...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article240705041.html

UC Davis student showing ‘mild symptoms’ of coronavirus. 3 roommates in isolation
By Sawsan Morrar and
Theresa Clift
February 27, 2020 02:26 PM

A student living in a dormitory at UC Davis has shown “mild symptoms” of coronavirus and has been placed in isolation, along with two other students living in the dorm, Yolo County and university officials said Thursday.

The student has a runny nose and a cough after potentially being exposed to someone with coronavirus, officials said. The individual is in isolation at a home off campus. The two other individuals in isolation are the student’s roommates and are not showing signs of the virus.

Officials declined to say whether the three are in isolation in Davis. They are isolating “out of an abundance of caution,” according to a university press release. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta is testing the student’s specimen for the virus and results are expected back in three to four days...

[Daisy]

So i just got this email at work (CalEPA). Is this wording a mistake, or something we just haven't been told yet?


JOE SERNA JR.
CalEPA HEADQUARTERS building
Memorandum

---

to: CalEPA HEADQUARTERS BUILDING EMPLOYEES
from: CalEPA Building and business operations office
subject: Coronavirus information - Update
date: February 27, 2020

---

As you may know, Sacramento County Public Health recently confirmed the first few Sacramento County cases of novel coronavirus, now called COVID-19. Sacramento County Public Health is monitoring the situation closely and is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the California Department of Public Health.

Even though the health risk to the general public in California remains low at this time, California state and local health officials are actively engaged in preparation to keep Californians safe should the risk of infection to the general public increase.

In response to this virus, the California Department of Human Resources is reminding all State employees to be respectful, fair, and without bias in our interactions with all persons. Do not assume someone of a particular national origin, race, or background is more likely to have COVID-19.

What you can do

Stay informed by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website here and the California Department of Public Health website here. Both websites are updated daily with the latest information and advice for the public.

As with any virus, especially during the flu season, the California Department of Public Health reminds everyone that there are a number of steps individuals can take to protect themselves and those around them:

• Washing hands with soap and water.
• Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Staying away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.

[Shiloh]

Maybe should have said couple- see this news release/update: https://www.saccounty.net/news/lates...irus-Case.aspx

[Emily]

Thank you, Daisy and Shiloh. Hopefully 2 is the total there right now. Stay safe.

[Emily]

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/u-s-workers-without-protective-gear-assisted-coronavirus-evacuees-hhs-whistleblower-says/

U.S. workers without protective gear assisted coronavirus evacuees, HHS whistleblower says

Feb. 27, 2020 at 2:00 pm Updated Feb. 27, 2020 at 5:27 pm
By Lena H. Sun
and Yasmeen Abutaleb
The Washington Post


Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services sent more than a dozen workers to receive the first Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, without proper training for infection control or appropriate protective gear, according to a whistleblower complaint.
The workers did not show symptoms of infection and were not tested for the virus, according to lawyers for the whistleblower, a senior HHS official based in Washington who oversees workers at the Administration for Children and Families, a unit within HHS.
The whistleblower is seeking federal protection, alleging she was unfairly and improperly reassigned after raising concerns about the safety of these workers to HHS officials, including those within the office of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. She was told Feb. 19 that if she does not accept the new position in 15 days, which is March 5, she would be terminated.
The whistleblower has decades of experience in the field, received two HHS department awards from Azar last year and has received the highest performance evaluations, her lawyers said...
...
About 14 personnel from the Administration for Children and Families, or ACF, were sent to March Air Force base in Riverside County, Calif., and another team of about 13 ACF personnel were sent to Travis Air Force in Solano County, Calif., according to the complaint and the whistleblower’s lawyer, Ari Wilkenfeld. In Solano County this week, the first U.S. patient was confirmed to be infected with coronavirus who did not travel to a region where it is spreading or have known contact with someone diagnosed with the disease....

[Treyfish]

3 UC Davis students in isolation; 1 shows ‘mild symptoms’ of coronavirus

The three people live in Kearney Hall on the UC Davis main campus

By Sawsan Morrar and Theresa Clift | Sacramento Bee

A student living in a dormitory at UC Davis has shown “mild symptoms” of coronavirus and has been placed in isolation, along with two other students living in the dorm, Yolo County and university officials said Thursday.

The student has a runny nose and a cough after potentially being exposed to someone with coronavirus, officials said. The individual is in isolation at a home off campus. The two other individuals in isolation are the student’s roommates and are not showing signs of the virus....The student showing symptoms has been off campus since Tuesday, said Michael Sheehan, an associate vice chancellor for student affairs. The other two were moved to the on-campus apartments Wednesday evening.

“We have a few apartments kept off line for a situation like this,” Sheehan said.

University officials are asking all students about their travel history and have not found any other students who came into contact with the virus, Schorzman said.....Two students from Los Rios Community Colleges may have been exposed to the patient who was diagnosed with coronavirus at UC Davis Medical Center. The students, one from American River College and the other from Cosumnes River College, are medical professionals, and were exposed to the individual off campus before the person tested positive....https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2020/02...f-coronavirus/

[QuadrupleM]

https://www.countynewscenter.com/county-public-health-lab-now-able-to-test-for-new-coronavirus/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=county-public-health-lab-now-able-to-test-for-new-coronavirus

San Diego County Public Health Lab Now Able to Test for New Coronavirus

By Jos? A. ?lvarez, County of San Diego Communications OfficeFeb. 27, 2020 | 4:58 PM

The County Public Health Laboratory is now able to test for the novel coronavirus, the cause of the respiratory disease COVID-19, the Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

Having that capability means that HHSA will no longer have to send all specimens to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, substantially reducing the time it takes for results.

“This is great news for San Diego County and will help with our ongoing efforts to contain COVID-19,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “Being able to test locally means that when we have patients under investigation, we can more rapidly remove unneeded restrictions from those without infection. Should someone test positive, we will continue to keep them isolated.”

The County Public Health Lab now has the capability to do up to 40 tests in one run. The lab is one of dozens across the nation certified by the CDC to test for the new coronavirus.

“The number of specimens we’ve been getting for testing is currently low, but we expect the need to increase,” said Brett Austin, director of HHSA’s Public Health Lab. “We are ready to increase capacity as required.”

Prior to getting the testing kit, the County Public Health Lab had to send specimens to CDC and results took several days to return. Now, those tested for potential cases of COVID-19 will know their results in 24 to 48 hours. Positive tests will still need to be confirmed by the CDC.

CDC currently recommends testing patients with symptoms — fever, cough or difficulty breathing — after returning from China or other areas with community transmission of coronavirus disease or who have had known contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.

The risk of COVID-19 is still very low, especially if you have not travelled to an area where the virus has been detected or had close contact with a patient who tested positive for this new coronavirus.

[Missouriwatcher]

Marketwatch reports: Gavin Newsom said the state is currently monitoring an estimated 8,400 people who arrived in California on commercial flights from Asia...

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ca...-19-2020-02-27

[Shiloh]

Source: https://abc14news.com/2020/02/28/up-...virus-patient/

Up to a HUNDRED health workers were exposed to the undiagnosed coronavirus patient
News
By Bob Miller On Feb 28, 2020

As many as 100 healthcare workers may have been exposed to the California woman who went four days untested for coronavirus.

The doctors and nurses are from the University of California Davis Medical Center, where the woman is being treated, and from NorthBay VacaValley Hospital.

”There were multiple health care personnel who were exposed to the individual,’ Dr Bela Matyas, public health officer from Solano County, said at a news conference on Thursday.

‘At both hospitals we are at present aggressively evaluating everyone who may have had contact with this patient. They are being identified and their risk for exposure is being assessed.’

Some are under isolation, some are under quarantine and others have been sent home to continuously monitor their status.

As for the patient, she is reportedly in very serious condition and is currently intubated, Rep John Garamendi (D-CA) told CNN...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://kyma.com/news/2020/02/28/fir...perial-county/

First suspected coronavirus case in Mexicali/Imperial County
By Alexandra Rangel
today at 1:22 pm
Published
February 28, 2020
1:20 pm

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY), The first suspected case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), is being monitored in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.

The persons identity has not been released, but health officials in Mexicali have confirmed that she is a 28-year-old resident of El Centro, California.

The health department in Mexicali is still waiting for test results to confirm if the woman has the virus or not, but according to officials the woman is a high risk case, due to her recent travels.

Officials say the woman recently traveled to Europe and Mexico. According to officials the patient was in Italy for several days. She then returned to Imperial County. It's unclear how many days she was in El Centro or who she had contact with, but shortly after arriving the woman traveled to Cancun, Mexico...

[Commonground]

Captial Public Radio News
Interview: Washington Post Reporter Lenny Bernstein On California Coronavirus
Friday, February 28, 2020 | Sacramento, CA
Excerpt:

Then they have to go through the people who actually treated her even more intensively. She was intubated, which means they put a pipe down into her lungs to help her breathe.

http://www.capradio.org/news/insight...or-california/

[Shiloh]

Source: https://fox40.com/news/local-news/se...id-19-patient/

Second City College student self-quarantines after exposure to COVID-19 patient
by: FOX40 Web Desk
Posted: Feb 28, 2020 / 03:46 PM PST / Updated: Feb 28, 2020 / 03:46 PM PST


SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — District officials reported Friday that another Sacramento City College student has been instructed to self-quarantine after they were exposed to a patient who contracted the new coronavirus.

This is the second student from SCC and the fourth Los Rios Community College student to have been in contact with the patient, who is being treated in Sacramento County. At the time, the four students were performing professional medical duties...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2020...r-coronavirus/


UC Davis Student In Isolation Tests Negative For Coronavirus
February 29, 2020 at 7:15 pm

DAVIS (CBS13) — UC Davis announced in a press release Saturday that a student who has been on isolation at home has tested negative for the coronavirus.

Our student who has been isolated at home and tested for COVID-19 does NOT have #coronavirus as confirmed by @YoloCountyCA Public Health. Because of the negative test result, the student’s two roommates were invited to return to their room in Kearney Hall. (1/2)

— UC Davis (@ucdavis) March 1, 2020

The university said that the student and their roommates, who were also in isolation, have been notified that they could return to their room in Kearney Hall...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.theunion.com/news/placer...e-of-covid-19/

Placer County Public Health reports first confirmed case of COVID-19
News | March 2, 2020
Submitted to The Union

FROM A RELEASE:

AUBURN — Placer County Public Health has received confirmation that a Placer resident has tested presumptively positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), pending confirmatory testing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is the first confirmed case in Placer County.

Nevada County officials have repeatedly said there are no cases in this county.

The individual is a NorthBay VacaValley Hospital health care worker who had close contact with a confirmed case in Solano County, prior to that case being transferred to another hospital and later tested for the virus. The Placer County patient is currently isolated at home with mild symptoms...

*************************

Source: https://www.placer.ca.gov/6428/First...se-of-COVID-19
Placer County Public Health reports first confirmed case of COVID-19

Highlights:

• The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Placer County is a health care worker who had close contact with a confirmed case in Solano County
• The individual is in isolation at home and close contacts will be quarantined and monitored
• The immediate risk to the general public in Placer County is relatively low, but now is the time to prepare for the likelihood of local community transmission unrelated to this case

Placer County Public Health reports first confirmed case of COVID-19
Placer County Public Health has received confirmation that a Placer resident has tested presumptively positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), pending confirmatory testing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is the first confirmed case in Placer County.
The individual is a NorthBay VacaValley Hospital health care worker who had close contact with a confirmed case in Solano County, prior to that case being transferred to another hospital and later tested for the virus. The Placer County patient is currently isolated at home with mild symptoms.
No further details about this case will be shared to protect patient privacy.
“We have expected to see cases of COVID-19 in Placer County and have been planning and preparing accordingly,” said Placer County Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson. “Given recent evidence of community spread occurring elsewhere in California, we are now encouraging the public to prepare for the likelihood of local community spread here as well, unrelated to this case.”
In coordination with partners at the CDC, the California Department of Public Health and Solano County Public Health, Placer County Public Health is tracing individuals who have had close contact with this new case and are at risk of infection. Those individuals will be quarantined and monitored.
“As always, our top priority is the health and safety of our patients, our staff, physicians and the community,” said Aimee Brewer, president of NorthBay HealthCare Group. “We are tracing all contacts this worker had in our organization and sharing that information with public health officials in both Solano and Placer counties. We are working with the California Department of Public Health, the CDC and local public health departments to ensure we are following the most up-to-date protocols and procedures for dealing with this evolving situation.”
Symptoms of COVID-19 range from mild to severe and include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
“As this case illustrates, health care workers are often on the front lines when we battle infectious diseases like COVID-19,” said Sisson. “But each one of us also plays a role in keeping our community healthy and safe. We understand folks may feel some anxiety about this evolving situation, but there are simple ways to turn that anxiety into action.”
Members of the general public should take simple steps to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses including COVID-19:

• Washing hands with liquid soap and water, and rubbing for at least 20 seconds, or using alcohol-based sanitizer if soap and water are not available;
• Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing;
• Staying home if you are sick; and
• Regularly cleaning surfaces touched by many people.

Healthy people do not need to use a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. People who are sick and must go out can wear a face mask to reduce the spread of germs.
In addition, Placer County Public Health recommends residents start thinking about preparedness in the event of local community spread, planning ahead for potential disruption to daily life at work, school or home. Public Health is working with partners in health care, education, business, law enforcement and others to prepare.
Please visit Placer County’s novel coronavirus web page for preparedness resources and updates.