Dedham Statement On Coronavirus

DEDHAM, MA — Dedham officials are reassuring residents that there have not been any cases of Coronavirus. There is one confirmed case and one "presumptive positive" case of coronavirus in Massachusetts, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Health officials report that the risk of contracting the virus in Massachusetts remains "low."

The Dedham Board of Health said it is in contact with the DPH in order to stay up to date on information about coronavirus.

"As with every flu season, we are encouraging residents to practice healthy habits like frequent hand washing and disinfecting surfaces to prevent the spread of illness," Board of Health Chairman Leanne Jasset said. "The risk of COVID-19 remains low and we are continuing to monitor and will share updates as they become available."

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 it 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.

The DPH is not recommending people wear masks in public as the risk to the public remains low and there is no substantial evidence suggesting wearing a mask protects an individual outside of preventing someone from spreading a respiratory illness to others in a clinic waiting room.

The CDC is urging Americans to avoid nonessential travel to Italy, China, Iran and South Korea, which are designated "Warning Level 3." The Dedham Board of Health urges residents to continue to monitor the CDC website for any additional restricted areas of travel. Additionally, the CDC and Governor Charlie Baker have stated that those who return to the U.S. after visiting any Level 3 country "should stay home and monitor their health during travel and for 14 days after returning to the United States."