This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/28/us/coronavirus-solano-county.html
The article has changed 43 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
Next version
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Third Unexplained Coronavirus Case Raises Specter of Spread | |
(32 minutes later) | |
VACAVILLE, Calif. — Two new and unexplained cases of the coronavirus emerged in Northern California and in Oregon on Friday, as health officials in both states raced to contact people who might have been exposed and experts warned that the cases may indicate signs of spread within the United States. | |
Oregon health officials said on Friday night that they have identified a school employee from Clackamas County who appears to have contracted the novel coronavirus more than a week ago and that officials have been unable to determine the source, though the person had no recent travel to China or known contact with someone with the virus. | |
Oregon health officials said their public health laboratory, which began testing samples on Friday, had detected the positive case; the sample will also be tested at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation. | |
The announcement in Oregon followed one earlier in the day from California, in which officials said another person, in Santa Clara County, with no known links to coronavirus had tested positive for infection with the virus. | |
On Wednesday, the first such case — with no clear ties to any previous cases or to overseas travel — emerged in Solano County, Calif., 90 minutes from Santa Clara County. Sixty-three coronavirus cases have been reported in the United States, but these three were the first to came without obvious explanation, and represented a possible new front in its spread. | |
“If we were worried yesterday, we are even more worried today,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “Now we have to ask: How widely, really widely, is this virus out there?” | “If we were worried yesterday, we are even more worried today,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “Now we have to ask: How widely, really widely, is this virus out there?” |
In the Oregon case, officials said the person had experienced symptoms since Feb. 19 and was employed at a school in Clackamas County, possibly exposing students and staff members. On Friday, officials said, the person was tested for the virus using a kit from the C.D.C. | |
Officials in Santa Clara County said on Friday afternoon that the newest unexplained case in that state involved a woman with chronic health conditions who was hospitalized for a respiratory illness. The woman also had no history of travel to places like China, nor did she have any known contact with someone who had been overseas or been otherwise infected with the virus, the officials said. | |
A doctor treating the woman contacted the local public health department to discuss the case on Wednesday evening, the officials said, and to request testing for the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 2,800 people worldwide and sickened some 83,000 people in at least 56 countries. The Santa Clara public health lab received the specimens on Thursday morning and performed the testing, which came back positive later that day. Since then, workers in Santa Clara County have been rushing to identify anyone the woman had been in contact with, and health officials warned schools and businesses to begin preparing for the possibility of absences and to clean surfaces in their institutions. | A doctor treating the woman contacted the local public health department to discuss the case on Wednesday evening, the officials said, and to request testing for the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 2,800 people worldwide and sickened some 83,000 people in at least 56 countries. The Santa Clara public health lab received the specimens on Thursday morning and performed the testing, which came back positive later that day. Since then, workers in Santa Clara County have been rushing to identify anyone the woman had been in contact with, and health officials warned schools and businesses to begin preparing for the possibility of absences and to clean surfaces in their institutions. |
Updated Feb. 28, 2020 | |
“This case does signal to us that it’s now time to shift how we respond to the novel coronavirus,” Dr. Sara Cody, the public health director for Santa Clara County, said. “Now we need to add other public health tools to the mix,” including looking systematically for the disease to understand its scope and magnitude, she said. | “This case does signal to us that it’s now time to shift how we respond to the novel coronavirus,” Dr. Sara Cody, the public health director for Santa Clara County, said. “Now we need to add other public health tools to the mix,” including looking systematically for the disease to understand its scope and magnitude, she said. |
Santa Clara County, the heart of Silicon Valley, where Google and Apple have their headquarters, also includes San Jose, the 10th-largest city in the nation. | Santa Clara County, the heart of Silicon Valley, where Google and Apple have their headquarters, also includes San Jose, the 10th-largest city in the nation. |
“This has become very real for everyone in our community,” Sam Liccardo, the mayor of San Jose, said on Friday evening as he prepared to meet with city staff on the implications of the new case. “There’s certainly a lot of concern and the concern is justified.” | “This has become very real for everyone in our community,” Sam Liccardo, the mayor of San Jose, said on Friday evening as he prepared to meet with city staff on the implications of the new case. “There’s certainly a lot of concern and the concern is justified.” |
Emergency medical workers in San Jose who answer calls from people with coronavirus-like symptoms will now be instructed to wear protective clothing, he said. “We are going to need to take every reasonable precaution without resorting to panic or finger-pointing.” | Emergency medical workers in San Jose who answer calls from people with coronavirus-like symptoms will now be instructed to wear protective clothing, he said. “We are going to need to take every reasonable precaution without resorting to panic or finger-pointing.” |
There are more known cases of coronavirus in California than in any other state, though most of them have been the result of people traveling abroad. All attention turned to California and Oregon as the three new cases of mysterious origin emerged. | |
On Friday, California health officials said they had greatly expanded their ability to test for the virus, and experts said the public health response in the affected counties should include examining specimens of people who may have been hospitalized or killed by a respiratory illness in recent weeks. | |
For weeks, local and state health departments across the country have been stretched thin by the coronavirus outbreak, and the cases of unknown origin signaled a new front in their efforts. “Most public health departments can respond to one case or two cases. But it’s going to be many more than that,” said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, a public health professor at Johns Hopkins. | |
In Solano County, where the first U.S. case of unexplained origin was announced on Wednesday, local officials have since fielded calls from scores of concerned residents. | In Solano County, where the first U.S. case of unexplained origin was announced on Wednesday, local officials have since fielded calls from scores of concerned residents. |
“I’m middling alarmed,” said Rick Lodwick, as he tossed a jumbo pack of sanitizing wipes into the back of his car in the parking of a big box store in Vacaville. | “I’m middling alarmed,” said Rick Lodwick, as he tossed a jumbo pack of sanitizing wipes into the back of his car in the parking of a big box store in Vacaville. |
“When I heard it was here, I thought, ‘We’re going to have trouble,’” Mr. Lodwick said. | “When I heard it was here, I thought, ‘We’re going to have trouble,’” Mr. Lodwick said. |
Solano County, northeast of San Francisco, is a place of cattle ranches, biotechnology research facilities, a military base and vineyards. An investigation was started into all contacts the sick woman from the county might have had with friends, neighbors and medical workers. | Solano County, northeast of San Francisco, is a place of cattle ranches, biotechnology research facilities, a military base and vineyards. An investigation was started into all contacts the sick woman from the county might have had with friends, neighbors and medical workers. |
“People are concerned and they’re paying attention,” said Jeremy Craig, the city manager of Vacaville. “But I don’t think there’s a panic.” | “People are concerned and they’re paying attention,” said Jeremy Craig, the city manager of Vacaville. “But I don’t think there’s a panic.” |
Restaurants were full on Friday, the manager of a movie theater said there had been no decline in ticket sales, and it was very rare to see someone wearing a mask. | Restaurants were full on Friday, the manager of a movie theater said there had been no decline in ticket sales, and it was very rare to see someone wearing a mask. |
Jayleen Richards, public health administrator for Solano County, said her staff of around 200 people was being helped by officials from the California Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Travis Air Force Base. | Jayleen Richards, public health administrator for Solano County, said her staff of around 200 people was being helped by officials from the California Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Travis Air Force Base. |
“It’s a lot of work but we’re having the capacity to deal with it right now,” Ms. Richards said. | “It’s a lot of work but we’re having the capacity to deal with it right now,” Ms. Richards said. |
“It’s scary,” said Adrian Obando, a stay-at-home father who was watching his daughter turn cartwheels on the lawn of a park near NorthBay VacaValley Hospital, where the Solano County woman was treated before she tested positive for the coronavirus. | “It’s scary,” said Adrian Obando, a stay-at-home father who was watching his daughter turn cartwheels on the lawn of a park near NorthBay VacaValley Hospital, where the Solano County woman was treated before she tested positive for the coronavirus. |
Still, Mr. Obando said that he was worried, but that he did not think there was much he could do. He said he could see with his children how easily colds and flus spread. “They get sick all the time,” he said. | Still, Mr. Obando said that he was worried, but that he did not think there was much he could do. He said he could see with his children how easily colds and flus spread. “They get sick all the time,” he said. |
Dr. Bela T. Matyas, the public health officer in Solano County, said officials had begun monitoring dozens of people with whom the woman had interacted in recent weeks — including relatives, co-workers and others she might have had contact with through her job — and had asked them to quarantine themselves at home. At least 124 nurses and other health care workers were under self-quarantine, a nurses’ union reported. | Dr. Bela T. Matyas, the public health officer in Solano County, said officials had begun monitoring dozens of people with whom the woman had interacted in recent weeks — including relatives, co-workers and others she might have had contact with through her job — and had asked them to quarantine themselves at home. At least 124 nurses and other health care workers were under self-quarantine, a nurses’ union reported. |
When the authorities announced four weeks ago that hundreds of American citizens traveling from Asia would be quarantined at Travis Air Force Base, in the heart of the county, Solano County was thrust into the national spotlight. | When the authorities announced four weeks ago that hundreds of American citizens traveling from Asia would be quarantined at Travis Air Force Base, in the heart of the county, Solano County was thrust into the national spotlight. |
“We saw Solano splashed all over the news with Travis and the quarantine — and we thought well it’s only a matter of time,” said Cricket Kanouff, the president of the Pena Adobe Historical Society, which preserves a home built by early settlers. | “We saw Solano splashed all over the news with Travis and the quarantine — and we thought well it’s only a matter of time,” said Cricket Kanouff, the president of the Pena Adobe Historical Society, which preserves a home built by early settlers. |
“We’d like to be known for our other virtues,” Ms. Kanouff said on Friday as she placed soap in the bathrooms of the museum at the adobe. | “We’d like to be known for our other virtues,” Ms. Kanouff said on Friday as she placed soap in the bathrooms of the museum at the adobe. |
Several of those quarantined at Travis tested positive for the virus. Yet on Thursday, health officials emphasized there was no indication that the woman had come in contact with anyone at the base, nor had she traveled recently. | Several of those quarantined at Travis tested positive for the virus. Yet on Thursday, health officials emphasized there was no indication that the woman had come in contact with anyone at the base, nor had she traveled recently. |
Outside the Air Force base there were few signs of concern. Pilots in flight suits greeted one another with handshakes at a nearby fast-food restaurant. No one wore masks during the lunch rush. | Outside the Air Force base there were few signs of concern. Pilots in flight suits greeted one another with handshakes at a nearby fast-food restaurant. No one wore masks during the lunch rush. |
The woman in Solano County who has the coronavirus was initially treated in Vacaville and then taken by ambulance to the University of California, Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. | The woman in Solano County who has the coronavirus was initially treated in Vacaville and then taken by ambulance to the University of California, Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. |
At the hospital on Thursday, some workers seemed deeply concerned about possible exposure. | At the hospital on Thursday, some workers seemed deeply concerned about possible exposure. |
“I’m worried how this will affect my baby,” said Vickie Poncalo, a cashier at the hospital’s cafe who is seven months pregnant. | “I’m worried how this will affect my baby,” said Vickie Poncalo, a cashier at the hospital’s cafe who is seven months pregnant. |
“Should we be wearing a mask and worrying that people are walking around here?” she asked. “Should I even be here?” | “Should we be wearing a mask and worrying that people are walking around here?” she asked. “Should I even be here?” |
Thomas Fuller reported from Vacaville, and Sheri Fink and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs from New York. Reporting was contributed by Julie Checkoway from Sacramento, Joe Purtell from Vacaville and Amy Harmon, Roni Caryn Rabin, Reed Abelson, Knvul Sheikh and Dana Goldstein from New York. | Thomas Fuller reported from Vacaville, and Sheri Fink and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs from New York. Reporting was contributed by Julie Checkoway from Sacramento, Joe Purtell from Vacaville and Amy Harmon, Roni Caryn Rabin, Reed Abelson, Knvul Sheikh and Dana Goldstein from New York. |