Montgomery County Launches New Coronavirus Website

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — As the first two cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Pennsylvania Friday, including one in Delaware County, Montgomery County has launched a new coronavirus website.

The website includes a scrolling notice on the county's current status — "There are currently no confirmed cases in Montgomery County" — as well as the latest statements from Gov. Wolf's administration on the outbreak. Any updates pertinent to Montgomery County will be posted there.

>>See the Montgomery County coronavirus website here.

The site also includes details on the virus, basic prevention recommendations, recommendations on how to prepare for the spread of the virus, and an interactive map that tracks all cases around the country.

>>2 Coronavirus Cases In PA, Gov. Wolf Says

There have been roughly 102,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus globally, and more than 3,400 deaths worldwide.

>>Montgomery County Pharma Company Preparing Coronavirus Vaccine

What is coronavirus?

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.