NJ Woman Found After Positive Coronavirus Test, Disappearing: PD

NEWARK, NJ — UPDATE: This article has been updated with a statement from Newark city officials.

Newark authorities have located a woman who tested positive for the new coronavirus and then left an East Orange hospital.

According to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a woman who presented herself at East Orange General Hospital on Saturday, March 14 for screening tested positive for the virus. However, she gave a false name and a Newark address, he said. (Watch Baraka’s video announcement)

When Newark city health officials responded to the address to investigate, they weren’t able to find anyone who knows the woman or her whereabouts, authorities said.

• See related article: Newark Sees First Case Of Coronavirus; Schools, Library To Close

Newark authorities urged the woman to return to East Orange General Hospital, saying she “posed a public health risk to herself and the community.”

Officials stated Tuesday:

“All residents are urged that when they get tested or seek assistance from medical providers – public, private, or PCPs – to provide complete and accurate information to the medical staff. They should not be afraid to do so. Providing that information is vital for health care workers.”

Baraka said the Newark Police Department was asked to identify the woman, who may have been identified on surveillance video at the hospital.

“City of Newark officials are submitting an application to get a court order to force East Orange General Hospital to provide us with the video and all other information, as this person is a health risk to herself and the entire community,” Baraka said.

The mayor offered a message to the woman:

“Because you gave a false name, because you gave a false address, you put yourself and many, many people at risk… not only just in the city of Newark, but in all the surrounding cities in the state as well.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Baraka announced the woman has been found.

CORONAVIRUS IN NEW JERSEY, NATIONWIDE

The number of people with the coronavirus in New Jersey had risen to 178 as of Monday. Authorities say three people have died. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Gov. Murphy has declared a state of emergency, schools across the state have begun to close, and local governments and community organizations have launched their own efforts to protect residents from the virus.

State health officials say it is critical that older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, lung disease and heart disease lower their risk of exposure.

"We certainly understand the public's concerns about testing availability, and we are working with the county executives to set up testing options for our residents," Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli said Sunday.

"I know all the actions being taken can cause concern, but that is all part of the public health response to reduce the impact on our state," Persichilli said. "As I said yesterday, we can expect cases in communities across the state to increase."

There have been more than 4,600 confirmed U.S. cases of the new coronavirus as of Tuesday morning according to Johns Hopkins University, which says the disease also has killed 85 people nationwide.

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

WHAT IS COVID-19?

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.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A face mask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of face masks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Residents who have questions about the virus can contact the state of New Jersey's hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

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