Five new cases of coronavirus confirmed in S.J.
Five new cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in San Joaquin County, officials with Public Health Services announced on Friday afternoon.
The county now has eight confirmed cases. The number includes travel-related cases and their contacts, as well as evidence of community spread — meaning cases of unknown origin.
Officials declared a local public health emergency in response to the increase of confirmed cases on Thursday and officials said that it is the appropriate time to move from containment efforts to implementing community mitigation strategies.
Mitigation activities are used to both decrease the likelihood of spreading the illness and death, as well as the social and economic impacts of COVID-19.
The distinction is important because it shifts the focus from labor-intensive contact-tracing — a detailed travel history with the patient and identifies of persons they have come in contact with, and individuals who may have experienced some level of exposure to the virus — to focus on protecting the most vulnerable populations from contracting the virus. Mitigation strategies now hinge on whether a person is showing symptoms or not.
“The goals for using mitigation strategies in communities with local COVID-19 transmission is to slow the spread of disease and protect individuals at increased risk for severe illness, including older adults and persons of any age with underlying medical conditions such as COPD, heart, lung or kidney disease, and other respiratory conditions,” public health officials said in a statement released Friday evening.
Health officials have not released any additional information about the five additional patients, including their cities of residence or where they are being treated.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, and may appear two to 14 days after exposure, according to the CDC. In roughly 80% of COVID-19 cases, patients display mild illness symptoms, while 20% of people develop more severe symptoms.
Severe symptoms typically develop in individuals that have higher health risk factors including older adults, and individuals with chronic medical conditions. COVID-19 is mainly spread by droplets from close person-to-person contact.
County health officials have taken the following initial mitigation steps to prepare the community and minimize the spread of COVID-19:
• Increased Department Operations Center (DOC) activity level and staff support.
• Increased phone bank staff to accommodate high call volumes.
• Updated and disseminated guidance documents on the website, social media, and key stakeholders.
• Provided presentations and guidance to school administrators, government leaders, and health care providers.
• Worked with county departments and outside organizations to guide employee health-related inquiries.
• Actively working with high-risk community partners to provide updates/education.
Public Health encourages county residents to check the following websites and their social media accounts routinely:
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• California Department of Public Health: www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx
• San Joaquin County Public
Health Services: www.sjcphs.org
Health officials advise county residents to follow prevention guidelines for COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:
• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Staying home when you are sick.
• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Anyone experiencing symptoms should stay home and call their health care provider.
To speak with a public health nurse, call 209-468-3822.