Woburn Coronavirus: Presumed Positive, Library & City Hall Close

WOBURN, MA — Woburn has one presumed positive case of the new coronavirus, the city said Monday. The resident is an adult who is recovering at home in isolation, the city said. No additional information on the resident is available.

The city previously had a presumed positive case who then tested negative in subsequent tests.

"As we know this is a rapidly changing environment, however, and we do expect to eventually experience positive cases in Woburn," the city said. "The Woburn Board of Health continues to work closely with MDPH and the CDC to get an new and updated information out to our residents as soon as we receive it."

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The city also announced that it is closing City Hall and the Woburn Public Library to the public for at least two weeks, through Friday, March 27. This is part of efforts to reduce the spread of the new virus. Many city services are available online or by phone, including the elibrary and bill pay.

Mayor Scott Galvin also recommended local houses of worship suspend services.

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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.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.