2 CA Coronavirus Patients Confirmed In Orange, LA Counties

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Two patients in Southern California are the third and fourth people in the United Sates to be diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, health officials announced.

The patients, in Los Angeles and Orange counties, are both returning travelers from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the virus, according to health officials.

The Orange County patient is in isolation at a hospital and in "good condition," according to a release Saturday from the Orange County Health Care Agency. "There is no evidence that person-to-person transmission has occurred in Orange County," according to the agency.

The Los Angeles County patient, confirmed Sunday, sought medical treatment after noticing they were not feeling well, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

No additional information about either patient has been released.

In California, health screenings of incoming passengers at Los Angeles International and San Francisco International airports have been underway to identify people who have symptoms that could be due to the coronavirus infection.

The first confirmed case of the virus in California comes in the wake of diagnoses in Washington state, on Jan. 21, and Chicago, on Jan. 24. Both patients had also recently traveled to China.

The death toll in China from the virus has risen to 56.

Symptoms of the novel coronavirus may include: runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, fever and a general feeling of being unwell. The virus can also cause wheezing and pneumonia. It is a member of the coronavirus family that's related to the deadly SARS and MERS viruses that have caused wide scale outbreaks in the past.

Anyone experiencing symptoms who had recently traveled to areas of concern, or been in contact with somebody who has traveled to these areas, should call ahead to their health care provider before arriving for treatment.

While there is currently no vaccine for this novel coronavirus, you can take preventative actions every day to help stop the spread of this and other respiratory viruses, including:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

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