Woburn Health Department Offers New Coronavirus Tips

WOBURN, MA — The Woburn Health department offered tips on preventing the spread of the new coronavirus. There has been one confirmed case of the new virus, COVID-19, in the state, and over 87,000 globally, mostly in China. The one case in Massachusetts is a man returning from Wuhan, China, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

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.

According to a city announcement, the Woburn Health Department is monitoring the outbreak and communicating with state and federal public health officials. The risk to Massachusetts residents remains low, and there is no known community-level spread of the virus in the state.

The risk of influenza remains high, however, and the Department offered the following tips for preventing the spread of both respiratory illnesses.

• "Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. to stop the spread of germs, take flu antivirals if prescribed."

The department also shared the following resources:

• Massachusetts Department of Public Health coronavirus COVID-19 information
• Centers for Disease Control coronavirus COVID-19 information

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.

The CDC has prepared a fact sheet with basic information on the virus.

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