Mill Valley Coronavirus Update - March 1, 2020

From the City of Mill Valley:

March 1, 2020

With the evolving nature of the coronavirus outbreak, in California, nationally, and abroad, we wanted to provide some resources and information for Mill Valley community members. We are monitoring the latest information and coordinating with the Marin County Public Health and other local agencies.

There are currently no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Marin County residents.

The novel coronavirus, which causes the disease known as COVID-19, is a member of the same family of viruses that causes colds. Treatment is similar to that for other viral infections.

We encourage everyone to practice good hygiene to reduce your risk of becoming infected with a respiratory virus like influenza or COVID-19:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water is not available
• Cover your cough or sneeze
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay home from work or school if you are sick
• Get your flu shot to protect against flu

If you are considering foreign travel, the CDC maintains a web page with COVID-19 information for travelers and travel related industries.

Any questions or concerns may be directed to the Communicable Disease Control Unit of the Marin County Health and Human Services Department at (415) 473-4163.

Marin County Public Health has also created a new web page with updates, links, and frequently asked questions at www.marinhhs.org/coronavirus.

The City of Mill Valley will be coordinating with Marin County Public Health to provide updates on the novel coronavirus as it affects community members. Going forward, we will share County news releases related to the coronavirus to the City website. If there is urgent news, it will be sent as a special edition of MVConnect.

February 27, 2020

A Message from County of Marin Health and Human Services:

Marin County Health and Human Services today confirmed the transfer of one patient with laboratory-confirmed novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from Travis Air Force Base in Solano County to a Marin County hospital. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) agreement with the Department of Defense requires any evacuee who tests positive to be moved from the base. Marin County and other Bay Area counties are accepting these patients to reduce the burden on the Solano County health care system.

An asymptomatic patient (meaning the patient does not show any symptoms of the virus, such as fever or difficulty breathing) was transported to a Marin County hospital on Wednesday night. The patient who tested positive for COVID-19 is one of the evacuees from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. Marin County Health and Human Services will not release further details about the patient or the hospital to protect the medical privacy of the patient and hospital staff.The Marin County hospital and Marin County Public Health are working closely with the CDC and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to coordinate testing and monitoring. “The transfer of this patient into a Marin County hospital should not be a cause for alarm,” said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County’s Health Officer. "Since January, we have been working closely with local healthcare providers, CDPH and CDC to minimize the impact to our County. Our County’s health system is ready to care for COVID-19 patients.”The patient was not infected in Marin County, and no cases have been identified in Marin. Marin residents are still at low risk of becoming infected with COVID-19. Marin residents who have recently returned from areas with community transmission of coronavirus, such as Italy, are considered low risk and are not being asked to isolate at home. However, if they develop symptoms such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing, they should contact their healthcare provider and inform them of their symptoms and their travel history. Those considering foreign travel should consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.The novel coronavirus, which causes the disease known as COVID-19, is a member of the same family of viruses that causes colds. Treatment is similar to that for other viral infections.Marin County Public Health encourages everyone to practice good hygiene to reduce your risk of becoming infected with a respiratory virus, such as influenza or COVID-19, which includes:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water is not available
• Cover your cough or sneeze
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay home from work or school if you are sick
• Get your flu shot to protect against flu
• If you have recently returned from a country with ongoing COVID-19 infections, monitor your health and contact your healthcare provider if you develop upper respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath.

Health experts agree that the measures taken have been effective in containing the virus but are predicting that there will be community spread of coronavirus in the United States. You can prepare for the possible disruption caused by an outbreak:

• Ensure you have adequate supply of essential medicines
• Prepare a childcare plan if the childcare is not available (including school closures)
• Staying up to date with trusted resources (e.g., CDC)

This press release was produced by the City of Mill Valley. The views expressed here are the author’s own.