2019 Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Patient Transferred To Sonoma County

From the Sonoma County Government:

February 25, 2020

• The Department of Health Services (DHS) today confirmed one case of a 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patient being treated at a hospital in the County.
• The patient was transported to a Sonoma County hospital last night from Travis Air Force Base in Solano County, where some international travelers have been recently quarantined because of possible exposure to COVID-19.
• The patient tested positive for COVID-19, however they do not show any symptoms of the virus, such as fever and difficulty breathing.
• The patient is among one of the recent US evacuees from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, and is in the County receiving care to lessen the burden on the local health care system in the communities near the base.
• DHS is working with the hospital to ensure proper protocols with regard to public health and safety are being followed.
• Sonoma County is not the only jurisdiction in the Bay Area to receive such COVID-19 patients from Travis Air Force Base.
• As of February 21, the California Department of Public Health Reported 10 active cases of COVID-19 in the State, and does not include those patients in California arriving from Diamond Princess cruise ship, including this patient.
• The patient was not infected in Sonoma County.
• DHS will not release further details about the patient or facility to protect their privacy.
• County residents should contact their healthcare providers if they have symptoms such as fever and cough and had close contact with someone with symptoms who returned in the last 14 days from China.
• All travelers to the U.S. from China since Feb. 2 have been asked to self-monitor for symptoms under the guidance of their local public health department for 14 days after return.
• Currently, the risk for being infected with COVID-19 in the U.S. remains low.
• COVID-19 is the term used for this global Coronavirus outbreak.

County Actions to Prepare and Respond to COVID-19

• To respond to potential cases of COVID-19 in in the County, DHS has activated a multi-disciplinary team to monitor the situation and is collaborating with the Department of Emergency Management (DEM).
  • The Department of Health Services (DHS) is working closely with other Bay Area health departments, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to closely monitor the 2019 novel coronavirus
    (COVID-19).
• DHS is working closely with local public health partners/healthcare providers to take action to isolate and test any high-risk individuals in consultation with the CDC to prevent the spread of disease and protect the public’s health.
• On January 31, 2020, County Health Officer Dr. Celeste Philip issued a health alert for local health providers with guidance on COVID-19 and reporting suspected cases for evaluation.
• A letter to parents regarding novel coronavirus and schools was sent by Dr. Philip through the Sonoma County Office of Education on February 7, 2020.

Important Information to Remember

• As a reminder, DHS 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:
  • washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds,
  • avoid touching your eyes and face,
  • coughing or sneezing into your sleeved elbow,
  • and staying home when ill.
  • If you have not received your flu shot yet, it’s not too late; annual flu shots are the best protection from flu, which still sickens and kills thousands of people in the US every year.
• For more information go to the coronavirus website here:
  https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Health/Information-About-Coronavirus/

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Contact Information

Rohish Lal

Communications Manager

Health Services

County of Sonoma

Email: Rohish.Lal@sonoma-county.org

Business Hours

Monday – Friday

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Address

Health Services Administration

1450 Neotomas Avenue

Suite 200

Santa Rosa, CA 95405

This press release was produced by the Sonoma County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.