Woburn Coronavirus: Second Case, Virtual Meetings, Utilities

WOBURN, MA — Woburn has two confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, according to the latest information from the city. Two adult residents are recovering at home in isolation, the city said Thursday. Other residents are awaiting test results.

The city also announced Friday that City Council will begin using virtual meetings for its Tuesday meeting. The governor issued an order suspending parts of the Open Meeting Law, allowing municipalities to hold virtual meetings in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus. Information on how to participate is available in the announcement here.

Some upcoming meetings are canceled, including the Planning Board and Redevelopment Authority meetings scheduled next week.

The latest information from the Board of Health is available here.

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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.