San Mateo County Reports Coronavirus Case of Unknown Origin

SAN MATEO, CA – A presumptive positive case of coronavirus of unknown origin has been reported in San Mateo County, public health officials said on Monday.

The San Mateo County adult’s case is pending testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to San Mateo County Health’s Communicable Disease Control Program.

The patient, who had no known exposure to the virus through travel or through contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, has been hospitalized and is in isolation.

The source of exposure is not yet known.

Officials released no further details about the second COVID-19 case reported in San Mateo County.

The previous case involved an individual who was repatriated to the United States by the CDC. The patient is currently in isolation and in good condition, officials said.

“This new case of a positive case of novel coronavirus has happened in San Mateo County and we share the concerns of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that we all need to be prepared for COVID-19 to spread within the United States,” San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow said in a prepared statement.

In consultation with the CDC and the California Department of Public Health, SMC Health is following up with anyone who may have had close contact with the patient and could be at risk of infection.

SMC Health said it will monitor anyone known to have had close contact with the patient and ensure that proper evaluation and care is provided if they become ill.

Those who have had casual contact with a person infected with the coronavirus are at low risk of developing infection, according to the CDC.

The current risk of local transmission remains relativity low, but that could change rapidly in days, weeks, and months ahead, officials said.

Symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to the flu and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or up to two weeks after exposure.

Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or had contact with an infected person, or who recently traveled to countries where the illness is widespread is advised to contact their health care provider before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia.

There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

For general information about novel coronavirus, please visit the CDC or SMC Health.

Patch editor Jean Dubail contributed to this story

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