Area coronavirus screenings begin

Hospitals are now asking patients questions about travel, symptoms while monitoring developments.

Area hospitals are now asking patients questions to see if they have symptoms and travel history that could indicate they have the novel coronavirus that recently emerged in China.

Dr. Roberto Colon of Miami Valley Hospital said the outbreak is an evolving situation that needs monitoring as health professionals learn more about how to best prevent the spread, that way officials don’t overreact or take the wrong measures.

Colon said if Premier Health physicians talk to a patient who is screened to show the right combination of travel history and symptoms, the hospital’s infection control department will then evaluate whether there’s a need to take further steps such as finding a concern that requires a patient to be in isolation.

“Our response in the United States right now is cautious monitoring and that’s really what we should be doing,” Colon said.

Premier hospitals include Miami Valley Hospital, Atrium Medical Center and Upper Valley Medical Center. The health network also has a physician network and other outpatient sites around the region.

Kettering Health Network, the other large hospital system in the area, also has screening protocols. Spokeswoman Elizabeth Long said ‘as people come into the Emergency Department, one of the first questions they get asked is, ‘Have you been out of the country in the last 30 days?’”

The outbreak of the virus, 2019-nCoV, started in Wuhan City, in China, in December.

2019-nCoV is part of a large family of different coronaviruses. These viruses may cause mild to severe respiratory illnesses with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Colon said physicians see manifestations of coronavirus every year and most people who have had a cold have probably had a coronavirus in their life.

“Every once in a while have a novel — or a new type — of coronavirus that comes out ... What seems to be the common thread of those novel viruses is that they cause more severe symptoms with increasing frequency,” Colon said.

Even with this particular coronavirus, he said most people who get it do not progress to a fatal illness. Researchers are still learning more about who is at most risk, such as whether there’s a higher risk to the particularly young or old or those with other medical conditions.

Two possible cases involving Miami University are being evaluated, sparking concern among some students about how to protect themselves, but Colon said there’s no need for local residents to rush to the pharmacy and pick up a box of masks.

“That’s not going to help with where we are right now, and I keep saying where we are right now because this is a developing situation,” Colon said.

The risk to the American public from the virus remains low.

Fuyao Glass America, which is based in China and has a significant operation in Moraine, said in a statement that the company “is closely monitoring news about the coronavirus epidemic centered in Wuhan, China. To date

none of our employees of the entire Fuyao group have been affected. We will continue to monitor the situation and follow travel guidance from relevant authorities.”

A local woman said her family’s year-long stay in China was cut short when they decided to come back early to avoid the coronavirus outbreak.

Holly Allen, who works for the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, had been living in Suzhou in the fall as part of her husband’s temporary move for work.

The family arrived back today and out of an abundance of caution are staying home at first.

“We’re just concerned about our friends who are back there and how long is this is going to go on,” Allen said.

For the Chinese New Year break, Allen said the family had been on vacation in Singapore and Thailand and when they returned the people who were still in town were all wearing masks.

“We basically just barricaded ourselves in our apartment,” Allen said.

They made the decision to leave on Monday and bought their tickets on Tuesday.

She said there’s starting to be shortages in grocery stores where they were and public transportation has been shut down.

Originally, her husband’s business called for them being in Suzhou for a full year.

“We will go back, but we’re going to watch and see when things have settled,” Allen said.

Contact this reporter at 937-225-2279 or email Kaitlin.Schroeder@cmg.com.