California - Santa Clara & San Benito counties (San Jose, Palo Alto, Stanford) COVID-19 cases and news

[penguinsix]

Reports from Santa Clara of a new case.

https://www.svvoice.com/first-case-of-novel-new-coronavirus-in-santa-clara-county/

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loc...ounty-tests-positive-for-coronavirus/2224611/

 

[sharon sanders]

Reports from Santa Clara of a new case.

https://www.svvoice.com/first-case-o...-clara-county/

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...virus/2224611/

hat tip Michael Coston




County of Santa Clara Public Health Department Reports First Case of Novel (new) Coronavirus


For immediate release:

January 31, 2020

For more information contact:
County of Santa Clara Public Health Communications
(408) 794-0707
Email: joy.alexiou@hhs.sccgov.org Highlights

• First confirmed case of novel (new) coronavirus in Santa Clara County.
• There is no immediate threat to the public’s health.
• Contact investigations are taking place with people who had close contact with this case.

Santa Clara County - The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department received confirmation today from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that an adult male resident of the county has tested positive for the novel (new) coronavirus.

This case recently traveled to Wuhan, China and became ill upon returning home. He was seen at a local clinic and hospital, but was never was sick enough to require hospitalization. He is in stable condition and is self-isolating at home, and he did not leave home while he had symptoms except to seek medical care. Public Health Department staff are in regular contact and monitoring his symptoms and condition. Further information about the individual will not be released for reasons of medical privacy.

“We understand that this news may be concerning, but based on what we know today, the risk to residents of our community remains low,” said Dr. Sara Cody, Health Officer, Santa Clara County. “This news is not unexpected. Santa Clara County has the largest population in the Bay Area, and many of our residents travel for both personal and business reasons.”

Even with news of this case, the risk to the general public remains low because the patient remained at home. Santa Clara County residents, students, workers, and visitors should continue to engage in their regular activities and practice good health hygiene since this is the height of flu season. Healthy people should not be excluded from activities based on their race, country of origin, or recent travel. Anyone with respiratory symptoms, such as a cough, sore throat, or fever, should stay home, practice proper cough etiquette and hand hygiene, and limit their contact with other people.

County of Santa Clara Public Health Department is working closely with the CDC and the California Public Health Department, and other partners as this continues to be a rapidly evolving situation. Information will be updated as it becomes available on our website: http://sccphd.org/coronavirus.


Key Points:

• The case has been confirmed by the CDC.
• There is no evidence of person-to-person spread in our community and the risk to the public remains low.
• The person is in stable condition and self-isolating at home and being monitored by the Public Health Department. In order to protect patient privacy/confidentiality, no other details about this person will be released.
• Public Health Department officials are following up directly with all individuals who have had close contact with this person to determine their risk of infection, monitor them for signs and symptoms of illness and to take measures to limit the spread of the virus.

This is the only case of novel coronavirus in Santa Clara County. There are currently six other confirmed cases in the United States.

In January, County of Santa Clara Public Health Department activated its Emergency Operations Center to ensure regular communications to the public, providers and partners, as well as to handle any reports of potential novel coronavirus infection. The department will continue to provide regular updates and to work with healthcare providers as the situation evolves.

Healthcare professionals are reminded to use appropriate infection control practices at all times. Public Health will continue to provide updated information about the diagnosis and management of cases of novel coronavirus to healthcare providers and hospitals in the County and relevant partners to both identify and prevent any future cases.

This situation is rapidly changing, so the public should visit the PHD website for updated local information at http://sccphd.org/coronavirus. The CDC provides more information about novel coronavirus at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.
​
Last updated: 1/31/2020 2:32 PM


https://www.sccgov.org/sites/phd/new...1-31-2020.aspx

 

[sharon sanders]

From: "Media@cdc.gov (CDC)" <sohco@CDC.GOV>
To: MMWR-MEDIA@LISTSERV.CDC.GOV
Subject: CDC Statement: CDC Confirms Seventh Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus
Date: Jan 31, 2020 8:44 PM

Media Statement

For Immediate Release
Friday, January 31, 2020

Contact: CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286


CDC Confirms Seventh Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus

CDC today confirmed another infection with 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the United States that was detected in California. The patient recently returned from Wuhan, China, where an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by this novel coronavirus has been ongoing since December 2019. This brings the total of number of 2019-nCoV cases in the United States to seven.

For the latest information on the outbreak, visit CDC’s Novel Coronavirus 2019 website.

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[annaraven]

This info was posted on Nextdoor.com -- I live in Santa Clara County. One of the responses that came up was the following, with no response from the county:
"What about all the people on board with him for 10hrs from Shanghai to San Jose airport? What about the people waiting in line with him to get thru customs (the machine he touched while scanning his passport too) and all? After leaving the airplane,those people are unknown and are not notified. The family members that came into contact with him are said to be the caregivers that goes to buy food and things... they did not say specifically his family quarantined themselves as well. Don’t want to scare anyone but the info provided on news is just inadequate. I think Apple has many components made in and near Wuhan... so it worries me since Apple is nearby and not know if anyone else recently returned without showing symptoms and continue working. You never know!"

Any suggestions from folks who are more experienced than I at addressing such things?

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/02/02/second-case-of-coronavirus-confirmed-in-santa-clara-county/

Second case of coronavirus confirmed in Santa Clara County
Both local cases involve people who recently traveled to Wuhan, but the cases are not related
By Thy Vo | | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: February 2, 2020 at 1:47 pm | UPDATED: February 2, 2020 at 1:57 pm

A second case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Santa Clara County, county health officials announced Sunday afternoon, in an adult woman who recently traveled to Wuhan, China.

The case is not related the the first confirmed local case, announced on Friday, which involved a local man who returned on Jan. 24 from Wuhan, the part of China where the disease originated, according to a news release from the Santa Clara County Public Health Department Sunday.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) informed county officials of the case Sunday morning...

 

[Pathfinder]

[h=1]County of Santa Clara Public Health Department Reports Second Case of Novel (new) Coronavirus[/h]
​Highlights

? The second case of novel (new) coronavirus in Santa Clara County.
? The second case is not related to the first case.
? There is no immediate threat to the general public.

The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department received confirmation this morning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of a second case of the novel (new) coronavirus. This second case is in an adult female.

This Santa Clara County case is not related to the first case but they both had recently traveled to Wuhan, China. She is a visitor to this county and arrived January 23 to visit family. She has stayed home since she arrived, except for two times to seek outpatient medical care. She has been regularly monitored and was never sick enough to be hospitalized

Family members have also been isolated, which means that they do not leave the house, even to buy groceries. The Public Health Department provides food and other necessary items.

Since the investigation has just begun, further information about the individual will not be released at this time.

“I understand that people are concerned, but based on what we know today, the risk to general public remains low,” said Dr. Sara Cody, Health Officer, Santa Clara County. “A second case is not unexpected. With our large population and the amount of travel to China for both personal and business reasons, we will likely see more cases, including close contacts to our cases.”

Because much is unknow about how the novel coronavirus spreads, current knowledge is largely based on what is known about similar coronavirus.

Santa Clara County residents, students, workers, and visitors should continue to engage in their regular activities and practice good health hygiene since this is the height of flu season. Healthy people should not be excluded from activities based on their race, country of origin, or recent travel. Anyone with respiratory symptoms, such as a cough, sore throat, or fever, should stay home, practice proper cough etiquette and hand hygiene, and limit their contact with other people.

County of Santa Clara Public Health Department is working closely with the CDC, the California Public Health Department and other partners as the new coronavirus situation continues to change. Information will be updated as soon as possible on our website: http://sccphd.org/coronavirus

Last updated: 2/2/2020 3:37 PM

https://www.sccgov.org/sites/phd/news/Pages/second-novel-coronavirus-case-02-2020.aspx

 

[NawtyBits]

https://www.ksbw.com/article/2-confirmed-cases-of-coronavirus-in-san-benito-county/30743370
[h=1]2 confirmed cases of coronavirus in San Benito County[/h]
SAN BENITO COUNTY, Calif. —
According to the San Benito County Public Health Department, there are two confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the county.

According to public health officials, the confirmed cases are a husband and wife pair. They are both 57 years old. The husband recently traveled from Wuhan, China and the wife picked up the virus from her husband. Both patients have not left their home since returning to China.

These new patients bring the total number of confirmed cases to 11 in the United States, six of those cases are in California.

 

[NawtyBits]

H2H


https://abcnews.go.com/Internationa...ted/story?id=68707431&cid=social_twitter_abcn

2nd person-to-person transmission of coronavirus reported in US; 1st death confirmed outside China

Two more Americans, a husband and wife, were confirmed to have the coronavirus late Sunday in the second person-to-person transmission in the U.S. and the 10th and 11th cases in the country, respectively.

The husband, from San Benito County, California, recently traveled to Wuhan, China, the center of the virus' outbreak, and apparently passed the disease to his wife, who did not go to China. Both 57, neither has been hospitalized, but they have also not left their home.

 

[Pathfinder]

San Benito County Public Health Services

PRESS RELEASE

2019 Novel Coronavirus Patients
Transferred Out of County for Medical Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
February 3, 2020 Sam Perez, MPH, Public Information Officer
Tel: 831-637-5367
_____________________________________________________________________________

San Benito County-Two patients with novel coronavirus in San Benito County showed
worsening symptoms late Sunday night and were referred for medical evaluation. “It
was then determined that both patients needed to be admitted to a hospital equipped
for a higher level of care. The patients have been transferred out of San Benito County
by specialty ambulance,” said Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, San Benito County Health Officer.
Even with news of this case, the risk to the general public remains low because the
patient remained at home. San Benito County residents, students, workers, and visitors
should continue to engage in their regular activities and practice good health hygiene
since this is the height of flu season. Anyone with respiratory symptoms, such as a
cough, sore throat, or fever, should stay home, practice proper cough etiquette and
hand hygiene, and limit their contact with other people.

San Benito County Public Health Services is working closely with the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) and the California Public Health Department (CDPH), and other partners
as this continues to be a rapidly evolving situation.

On February 2, 2020, San Benito County Public Health Services activated its
Department Operations Center to ensure regular communications to the public,
providers and partners, as well as to handle any reports of potential novel coronavirus
infection. The department will continue to provide regular updates and to work with
healthcare providers as the situation evolves.

https://hhsa.cosb.us/wp-content/upl...-Out-of-County-for-Medical-Care-PR02032VF.pdf

https://hhsa.cosb.us/publichealth/press-release/

 

[Pathfinder]

5 healthcare workers sent home to ensure they didn’t contract coronavirus from patient

By JACLYN COSGROVE, COLLEEN SHALBY
FEB. 4, 2020 6:16 PM

Five employees at Good Samaritan Hospital in Silicon Valley were sent home for about two weeks after coming into contact with a patient with coronavirus.

The patient, who had just traveled to Wuhan, China, where the outbreak started, wore a mask the entire time he was at the hospital, and was directed by health officials to isolate himself at his home, according to the hospital. He is one of six people in California who public health officials have confirmed contracted the virus while in Wuhan.
...
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-02-04/healthcare-workers-sent-home-coronavirus-patient

 

[Rose]

County of Santa Clara, CA declares local health emergency after two cases. Officials stressed that this does not mean there is an increased risk to the public.

The declaration helps ensure that the county is prepared to respond effectively to the outbreak and allows them to receive mutual aid resources from the state of California and other jurisdictions.

 

[Commonground]

California Updates

[h=1]Santa Clara County Public Health
Novel Cornoavirus Interim Guidance for Santa Clara County Businesses[/h] [h=2]February 10, 2020[/h] Dear Business Partner:


I am writing to provide an update regarding the novel coronavirus in our county and to share updated guidance for employees who have recently traveled to China.

The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department received laboratory confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of two unrelated cases of novel coronavirus, one on Friday, January 31, and the second on Sunday, February 2. Both cases had traveled to Wuhan, China within the 14 days before they became ill. Both cases have stayed home (self-isolating). We have reached out to those who may have been in close contact with either case to determine whether they were exposed to the novel coronavirus. All exposed close contacts have been instructed to stay home (quarantine) and monitored for symptoms.

To date, we do not have any evidence to suggest that the novel coronavirus is circulating in Santa Clara County or the Bay Area, and public health departments are working hard to keep it that way. As we have all been communicating, the situation is evolving rapidly, and we anticipate this pace of change to continue.

We are all learning more every day about how this virus behaves. From what we know, most spread of infection has occurred among close contacts. A close contact is someone who has spent time face-to-face with a confirmed case for an extended period, such as days or hours. The extent to which a person who is infected but does not have symptoms might spread the virus to others (“asymptomatic transmission”) is not known.

Partially in response to this uncertainty, on February 2 the federal government implemented the following policy:

• Formally quarantine all travelers returning to the U.S. from the Hubei Province, China.
• Travelers returning from mainland China, not Hubei Province, are being screened for symptoms upon arrival. If they do not have symptoms, they may return home with a recommendation to self-quarantine for 14 days from their last day in mainland China.

Public health officials will be in communications with these returning travelers.

For businesses with employees who have returned from mainland China on or before February 2, we are asking employers to do the following:

1. If returning employees have been in Hubei province within the last 14 days, please ask them to return home. They should call the Public Health Department during regular business hours (408-885-3980, M-F 8-5) so that we can provide specific guidance on monitoring themselves for symptoms for 14 days since their last day in China.
2. Family members of travelers who visited Hubei province or mainland China within the last 14 days and are not ill, do not need to quarantine at home. They should monitor for symptoms and avoid attending large gatherings.
3. Employees who have been to other areas of mainland China (this excludes Hong Kong) within the last 14 days and came back to the U.S. on or before February 2 may wish to consider staying home for 14 days after they left mainland China, but it is not mandatory. They should continue monitoring themselves for symptoms until the end of the 14 days since they left China.

Please do not require a physician’s clearance to return to work for employees who have returned from traveling and are not sick. We are receiving communications that this is happening, which is impacting the medical system and preventing doctors from seeing patients who are ill.

If any employees become symptomatic within 14 days since their last day in China with fever (including chills or night sweats), cough, or shortness of breath, they should go home, call a healthcare provider and let the provider know their travel history and symptoms.

We encourage everyone to take common-sense precautions to prevent the spread of all infectious diseases, including common illnesses like colds and flu:

• Encourage all employees to stay home when they are sick.
• Those who have a fever at work should go home immediately and stay there for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever without the use of fever-reducing medicine.
• Separate sick employees from others in a separate place until they can go home.
• Promote hand hygiene through education and availability of soap, hand sanitizers, and tissues.
• Avoid touching your face, particularly your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Encourage proper cough etiquette—cough or sneeze into a tissue, sleeve, or arm. Do not use your hands.
• Perform routine surface cleaning, particularly for high-touch surfaces.
• Consider not attending or hosting large gatherings. This is where cold, flu, and other respiratory viruses are often spread.

The Public Health Department has a webpage dedicated to novel coronavirus in English, Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese at www.sccphd.org/coronavirus. We will keep the webpage updated as much as possible. We will monitor the developing situation and inform you of any additional public health recommendations.

We deeply appreciate your partnership in communicating this information to employees. We also greatly appreciate everyone’s efforts in staying informed, calm, and thoughtful as we all do our part to help keep our communities safe.

All the best,
Sara H. Cody, MD, Health Officer and Director
County of Santa Clara Public Health Department
​​​
Quick Links

• Home - SCC Public Health Novel Coronavirus
• Novel Coronavirus Archives
• Information for Healthcare Providers

Last updated: 2/10/2020 11:11 AM
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/phd/Di...s/Pages/ncov-business-guidance-2-10-2020.aspx

 

[Commonground]

[h=1]Santa Clara County Declares ‘Local Health Emergency’ Amid Novel Coronavirus
Published February 10, 2020 • Updated 4 hours ago[/h]
Santa Clara County declared a local health emergency Monday which will be in effect for 30 days.

This does not mean that residents are at greater risk of infection with the novel coronavirus, authorities said. Instead, will allow health authorities to be better prepared to respond to an outbreak.

The declaration will also allow the county to receive resources from the state of California.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loc...lth-emergency-amid-novel-coronavirus/2231584/

 

[Shiloh]

Third case in Santa Clara County...not tied to Diamond Princess cruiseship. News conference at 4PM: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/another-coronavirus-case-confirmed-in-bay-area/2244511/

 

[Daisy]

San Jose Mercury News:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/02/28/santa-clara-county-announces-new-coronavirus-case/
[h=1]Second U.S. coronavirus case of unknown origin confirmed in Santa Clara County[/h] [h=2]Troubling report suggests the virus may be circulating in the community[/h] Santa Clara County health officials Friday announced their third case of the novel coronavirus that has killed thousands and alarmed health officials and investors around the world.

More troubling, sources said it is unknown how the person became infected, marking only the second U.S. case in which the source of infection is unknown, suggesting the virus may be circulating in the community.

Santa Clara County health officials had no details about the case but said they would discuss it later this afternoon. The Washington Post reported that it involves a 65-year-old person who hadn’t traveled to China or other areas with outbreaks, or known contact with someone who has the virus.

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...raising-fears-community-infection/4908615002/


Second case of unexplained coronavirus appears in California, raising fears of community infection
Michael James
USA TODAY

The nation's second case of unexplained coronavirus - in which a person emerges with the infection with no obvious indication of how the virus was transmitted - has been reported in California, health officials confirmed Friday.

Health officials in San Jose said the patient was an older adult woman with chronic health conditions who does not have a travel history or any known contact with a traveler or infected person. It comes a day after state officials said a woman in Solano County had contracted the illness after no known contact....

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.mv-voice.com/news/2020/...-unified-alerted-to-parent-exposed-to-disease

Third coronavirus case in Santa Clara County was treated at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View
Local public health leaders recommend public to take precautions
Updated: Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 6:39 pm
Uploaded: Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 6:15 pm

Santa Clara County public health department leaders reported a third case of coronavirus (COVID-19) within the county on Friday, the same day Palo Alto school district officials learned a parent of two students may have been exposed to the virus. The two students, who attend Palo Alto High School and JLS Middle School, were sent home as a precaution, Superintendent Don Austin said.

The third coronavirus case involves an older woman who has chronic health conditions and was hospitalized for a respiratory illness, according to a department press release.

The patient received treatment at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, according to Richard Angeloni, interim communications director at the hospital. It doesn't appear she was exposed to the virus through travel or had contact with a traveler or someone with the virus.

The hospital is working closely with the Santa Cara County Public Health Department, California Department of Public Health, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he said in a media statement. The hospital could not provide additional information about the patient due to federal healthcare privacy laws....

***********************
Source: https://www.mv-voice.com/news/2020/02/28/the-coronavirus-has-been-confirmed-in-mountain-view

The coronavirus has been confirmed in Mountain View
What do we know about the virus and what are local schools doing to slow its spread?

by Kate Bradshaw / Mountain View Voice

Officials at El Camino Hospital confirmed Friday that the county's new case of coronavirus was treated at its Mountain View campus, at a time when public concern about the virus and how to avoid it are on the rise.

The patient, an adult woman who had no known exposure to the virus through travel or contact with a known infected person, has received care from El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, the hospital confirmed Friday evening, Feb. 28.

The hospital cannot provide specific details regarding the patient in accordance with federal healthcare privacy laws, according to Richard Angeloni, the hospital's interim director of communications...

 

[sharon sanders]

From: "Media@cdc.gov (CDC)" <sohco@CDC.GOV> [Add to Address Book]
To: MMWR-MEDIA@LISTSERV.CDC.GOV
Subject: CDC Media Statement: CDC Announces Additional COVID-19 Presumptive Positive Cases
Date: Feb 28, 2020 11:30 PM

Media Statement

For Immediate Release
Friday, Feb. 28, 2020

Contact: CDC Media Relations
(404) 639-3286
CDC Announces Additional COVID-19 Presumptive Positive Cases
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is aware of four new presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 announced by state public health authorities who are currently conducting investigations.

• California has announced a second possible instance of community spread.
• Oregon has announced its first possible instance of community spread.
• The state of Washington has announced two presumptive cases. One is likely travel related. The other is the state’s first possible instance of community spread.

Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. One previous possible instance of community spread was announced in California on February 26.
The four patients tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 in their respective states using the CDC-developed rRT-PCR. They are considered presumptive positive cases pending CDC confirmatory testing. However, CDC and State and local public health authorities are proceeding with public health investigations and response activities as if these were confirmed cases.
With both confirmed and presumptive positive cases, CDC recommends healthcare providers follow the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) or Persons Under Investigation for COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings.
These four cases bring the total number of COVID-19 cases detected through the U.S. public health system to 19.
The federal government has been working closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, as well as public health partners, to respond to this public health threat. Unprecedented, aggressive efforts have been taken to contain the spread and mitigate the impact of this virus. CDC and federal partners have been preparing for the detection of additional instances of person-to-person spread of COVID-19 for weeks. The federal government will continue to respond aggressively to this rapidly evolving situation.
For more information about COVID-19 visit www.cdc.gov/covid19.
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[Commonground]

[h=1]Fourth Case of Coronavirus Confirmed in Santa Clara County[/h] [h=4]Published February 29, 2020 • Updated on February 29, 2020 at 7:22 pm[/h] Santa Clara Public Health Department said Saturday a fourth case of the novel coronavirus has been confirmed in Santa Clara County.

According to officials, this case is in an adult woman who "is a household contact of the third Santa Clara County case."

Officials said the fourth case is not ill or hospitalized but is isolating at home.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loc...irus-confirmed-in-santa-clara-county/2245057/

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.ksbw.com/article/3-new-...santa-clara-county-confirmed-7-total/31180125


3 new cases of coronavirus in Santa Clara County confirmed; 7 total
KSBW Updated: 5:21 PM PST Mar 1, 2020
Christopher Salas
Anchor/Reporter

SANTA CLARA, Calif. —

Three new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) were confirmed in Santa Clara County on Sunday, bringing the total to seven cases in the county, health officials said.

The fifth case is an adult woman with chronic health conditions who is hospitalized.
The sixth and seventh cases are a husband and wife. Both are hospitalized, and the husband has chronic health conditions. The couple has recently traveled to Egypt.

It is unclear how the three new cases contracted the infection.

An increase in cases is not unexpected, and that health will "continue to identify anyone who has come into contact with these cases," the Public Health Department said in a news release...