Aurora Offers Coronavirus Update For Residents

AURORA, IL — After a recent meeting between Mayor Richard Irvin and leaders from county hospitals and local health departments, Aurora is offering an update on coronavirus for its residents. As of press time, officials say there have been no confirmed coronavirus cases in Aurora, but they recommend taking preventive measures as the worldwide outbreak reaches five confirmed cases in Illinois.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, called SARS-Cov-2, emerged in China in late 2019 and is related to other strains that have caused serious illnesses 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.

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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.

Aurora officials say the "purpose of the meeting was to get direct frontline updates from subject matter health experts on the latest Coronavirus developments, discuss preparedness efforts, explore opportunities for collaboration and plan for streamlined communications." The general consensus, officials say, has been to recommend preventive measures against transmission of the virus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, some of these preventive measures include:

• Staying home when ill
• Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue
• Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Using hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol
• Avoiding touching your face, eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoiding close contact with sick people
• Cleaning surfaces and objects that are touched frequently

Aurora officials say they will update their website as new information about coronavirus emerges.

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