Wakefield Monitoring Coronavirus Outbreak

WAKEFIELD, MA — The Wakefield Health Department is following developments concerning the 2019 Novel Coronavirus in China, town officials said. If necessary, the health department is "well-prepared" for a response at the local level.

Staff participate in a weekly conference call with the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) every Monday and receive daily updates with any new information. As of Jan. 27, there were five confirmed cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the United States, with 110 cases under investigation in 26 states. The first case in the US was identified Jan. 21.

Kits for diagnosing this virus have been developed and will be shipped to laboratories across the country within the next few weeks. A vaccine is in development and should be available for early human testing in approximately three months. At this time, the national public health strategy is containment, which means identifying cases, tracing back and following up with all contacts, and treating or isolating as appropriate, according to the health department.

The 2019 Novel Coronavirus is a new coronavirus that had not been previously identified. This virus probably originally emerged from an animal source but now seems to be spreading from person to person. It is important to note that not all viruses spread from person to person at the same rate. Some viruses are highly contagious (like measles), while other viruses are less so. We are continuing to learn about this virus. Current symptoms have included mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.

This is an emerging and rapidly evolving situation and the Health Department will continue to daily monitor and learn of the latest information. More information is available on the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

If you have questions or wish to speak to a member of the Health Department, call (781) 246-6375.