Medford Monitoring Coronavirus Outbreak

MEDFORD, MA — Health officials in Medford took part in a teleconference Monday with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health regarding the coronavirus. The risk of Massachusetts residents falling ill with the virus is "very low," according to the city.

The Centers for Disease Control is screening passengers arriving from China to the United States at 11 airports. Travelers arriving from Hubei Province will be screened and subject to mandatory quarantine for 14 days. Federal officials are advising travelers who arrive in the United States after Feb. 2 from mainland China to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.

Medford officials said they are seeing flu-like illnesses in schools. Nurses are closely monitoring symptoms and reminding parents to keep students home when sick and practice good hand-washing and cough etiquette.

Students who are symptomatic with fever and respiratory symptoms will be sent home with instructions that they may return to school when fever and symptom free for 24 hours without medication. It is also not too late to get a flu vaccine if you haven’t done so.

"Please rest assured that we are monitoring this situation very closely and staying informed of the latest information from public health authorities," Board of Health Director MaryAnn O'Connor, Public Health Nurse Janet Leahy and Supervisor of Health Services Toni Wray said in a joint statement. "We are following all recommended guidelines to ensure the safety of our students, staff and community. We will continue to share new information with you, as necessary, about this rapidly changing situation."

A Boston man in his twenties returning from Wuhan, China recently tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. It is the state's first confirmed case of the virus.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified the department and the Boston Public Health Commission about the positive test Friday night. It is the eighth case of coronavirus confirmed in the U.S.

Officials said the man is a University of Massachusetts at Boston student who has been isolated since he sought medical care soon after returning to Massachusetts from a trip to Wuhan. His close contacts are being monitored for symptoms of the virus.