Here's What NOT To Do If You Think You've Caught Coronavirus

DANBURY, CT — Is it counter-intuitive? Maybe. But Danbury Hospital officials say that if you think you may have contracted the new coronavirus, you should most definitely not show up at the front desk or in the emergency room.

"Call ahead," said Danbury Hospital parent Nuvance Health spokesperson Amy Forni. When you make the call, be prepared to tell the doctor about your symptoms and whether you have had close contact with someone who is confirmed to have COVID-19. The physician will also want to know the details of your travel history, especially if you traveled to China, Italy, Iran, Japan, or South Korea in the last 14 days, or if you've had close contact with someone who has recently traveled to these countries.

If you meet the clinical criteria for possible infection with COVID-19, your health department will ask you to call your doctor’s office to make arrangements to have you get tested for the virus.

The reason is simple: Neither Danbury, nor any area hospital, have the means to readily test you. Locally, testing is only available through the Connecticut and New York state departments of health for people who are experiencing symptoms and meet other criteria.

Forni told Patch that, "in conjunction with public health officials, we're working towards establishing a local testing site."

The situation is getting better, albeit slowly. Governor Ned Lamont announced Monday that the state has received another coronavirus test kit that will allow them to test 600 more samples.

COVID-19 symptoms are similar to those of the flu and include cough, fever and shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing. For most people the new coronovirus causes mild illness, others represent a higher risk. These include the elderly, people with underlying medical conditions such as lung disease, and those with compromised immune systems.

Connecticut had its first confirmed presumptive positive case of the new coronavirus disease Sunday. A Wilton resident between the ages of 40 and 50 is being treated at Danbury Hospital, according to Lamont. The patient likely was infected during a trip to California.

A New York State resident who is an employee at Danbury Hospital also tested positive for the disease as well as a community physician from New York who made rounds at Bridgeport Hospital.

Nuvance officials have advised that, "out of an abundance of caution," all Nuvance Health hospitals will limit visitors to two people per one patient. These hospitals include: Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital, Norwalk Hospital, Sharon Hospital in Connecticut; and, Northern Dutchess Hospital, Putnam Hospital, Vassar Brothers Medical Center in New York.

There are 566 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. as of Monday morning with 22 deaths, according to John Hopkins University, which is monitoring data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other sources.

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Patch editor Rich Scinto contributed reporting.