Westmont Advises Residents To Take Measures Against Coronavirus

WESTMONT, IL — Westmont village officials recently released an update advising residents to take preventive measures against coronavirus. As the fifth case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Illinois, Westmont Fire Chief Steve Riley says officials are "paying close attention to the impact of this situation and working closely with our county, state, and Federal agencies to ensure that we are doing all we can to keep our citizens safe."

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.

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 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

If you feel sick and worry you may have been exposed to coronavirus, Westmont officials advise contacting the Coronavirus Disease Hotline at 1-800-889-3931 and contacting your health care provider unless you are experiencing an urgent, serious medical emergency.

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