Coronavirus: 5 New Cases Bring Total WilCo Illness Count To 14

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Five more cases of new coronavirus have been identified in Williamson County, bringing to the region's total to 14, health officials said on Monday.

The Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD) described the new patients — all women ranging in ages from their 20s to 40s — who tested positive for the virus:

• A woman in her 20s with unknown exposure source;
• another woman in her 20s with unknown exposure source;
• a female patient in her 30s with unknown exposure source;
• a female in her 30s with international travel history to an affected country;
• a female in her 40s with unknown exposure source.

"At this stage information is very limited, WCCHD and Williamson County will share more as it becomes available and necessary to protect the health of the public," officials wrote in a press advisory.

Previous story: Coronavirus: 1 More Positive Test In WilCo Brings Total To 9

In something of a departure, Williamson County health officials provided a breakdown as to city of residence for the patients being monitored in the county. Such specificity has been elusive as health authorities report on the illness scourge. According to the Williamson County and Cities Health District, the 14 patients' cities of residency are as follows:

• Austin: 2
• Cedar Park: 4
• Georgetown: 4
• Leander: 1
• Round Rock: 3

In a letter to the Texas A&M community on Friday, March 20, Chris Meyer of the school's Office of Safety and Security, referenced one of the Round Rock cases in warning others of possible exposure. The notice came as Brazos County reported its illness count as having reached to a dozen patients over the weekend.

"The Brazos County Health District advised today evidence of community spread in Brazos County, as has been the case in other areas of Texas," Meyer wrote. "This community spread case was not one of the aforementioned Texas A&M cases."

Later, the university official said, a person at the university's Round Rock campus tested positive for the virus: "Since that time, we have learned of two more individuals associated with Texas A&M who have tested positive: one individual who works in a small area of the veterinary school and one individual at the Round Rock campus of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. Health authorities have been notified and contact tracing begun."

Williamson County health officials urged those with symptoms of respiratory illness — including cough, fever and shortness of breath — to contact their health care provider. It is important to call ahead before arriving at a clinic, urgent care or emergency department to avoid potential spread, officials said.

For more information, visit www.wcchd.org/COVID-19 . For information on the county response to COVID-19, go to www.wilco.org/COVID-19.

Texas A&M provided a list of tips to avoid becoming infected with the COVID-19 virus:

• Engage in social distancing of six or more feet.
• Stay home when ill or if other family members are ill.
• Leverage telework options.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• 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 face, eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Get a flu vaccine.
• Watch for cough, troubled breathing, or other signs of respiratory infection.
• Monitor temperature for a fever above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C).