Napa County Confirms First Coronavirus Case

NAPA COUNTY, CA — Napa County has confirmed its first local case of the new coronavirus, health officials announced Sunday.

The patient is in the City of Napa, and the county issued a legal order forcing the person to isolate and for their close contacts to quarantine, officials said. Public health officials said they were conducting an investigation.

"This is Napa County’s first case and evidence that COVID-19 is in our community," Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County Public Health Officer, said in a statement. "I understand this may be concerning to the community, but this is why I, and the State of California, have issued Shelter-At-Home orders to slow the spread of illness and not overwhelm the local health care system."

The county said it will conduct community surveillance to try to determine whether the virus has already spread locally.

Napa County is one of eight Bay Area counties to issue stay-at-home orders within the last week, although the county had confirmed no cases before Sunday. Across California, more than 1,200 coronavirus cases have been confirmed as of the state's most recent update Friday, although a widespread shortage of testing kits suggests that the true number is likely higher.

Tips to stay safe

The county is not recommending any new precautions beyond those it recommends for all residents, including:

1. Wash your hands with liquid soap and water for at least 20 seconds
2. Cover mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing
3. Stay home if you feel sick

The county will share updates about COVID-19 at www.countyofnapa.org/coronavirus.

Full coronavirus coverage: California Coronavirus: Live Updates On Cases, Updates, Closures