Airman’s dependent, others test positive
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The worrisome tally
keeps rising.
The number of Solano County residents who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus rose from six to nine Monday, with local public health officials confirming that an adult-dependent of a service member at Travis Air Force Base and two others had fallen victim to “community spread.”
The Air Force member “is in isolation at their respective off-base residence,” Public Health Administrator Jayleen Richards, of the county’s Health and Social Services Department, noted in a press release. Solano County spokesman Matthew Davis reported the news about the two others but provided no additional information at press time Monday.
Also, a Contra Costa County resident who is an active-duty Travis airman also tested positive for coronavirus disease, COVID-19, and is, likewise, in isolation at their respective off-base residence, information confirmed by Col. Jeffrey Nelson, 60th Air Mobility Wing commander at the sprawling base south of Vacaville. (That case is not part of the county number.)
Solano public health leaders are coordinating closely with Travis officials to provide important care to those who have tested positive, Richards added. The military and county agencies will continue to work together “to mitigate the effects of the virus and provide pertinent updates as timely as possible,” she wrote in the prepared statement.
In his prepared statement, Nelson explained that public health officials have begun “the contact tracing process” to notify those who may have come into contact with the positive individuals.
Master Sgt. Amanda Currier, a Travis spokeswoman at the base public affairs office, said the affected individuals would remain in isolation for 14 days, in accord with public health guidelines.
She provided no additional details about the affected individuals, such as age, gender or rank, noting current privacy regulations from the Secretary of the Air Force and the Department of Defense.
Nelson noted that Travis remains in “Health Protection Condition Bravo,” or HPCON B, an advisory that encourages activeduty personnel, their dependents and base civilian employees to practice prevention measures, including regular hand-washing, social distancing, staying home if sick, self-isolation if exposed, and contacting a healthcare provider if COVID-19 symptoms are suspected, among them a runny nose, sore throat, dry cough, fever, and, in severe cases, difficulty breathing.
The disease can be fatal, at a higher rate than the flu, and especially susceptible are seniors and people with underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease.
To date, Richards noted, “There continues to be a low risk of COVID-19 to the community” and recommended simple daily precautions that everyone should take. They include the following:
• Washing your hands with soap and water, and rubbing for at least 20 seconds.
• Coughing or sneezing into a tissue, sleeve or arm (not your hands.)
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Staying home when you are sick.
• Avoiding touching your face, particularly your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Performing routine surface-cleaning, particularly for items which are frequently touched, such as doorknobs, handles, remote control devices, keyboards and other commonly shared surfaces.
• If you are an older adult (more than 60 years of age), avoid large social gatherings.
• Get a flu shot to protect against the flu, which has similar symptoms to COVID-19.
Additionally, if you have recently returned from a country with ongoing novel coronavirus infections or related deaths, monitor your health and call your healthcare provider first before going to the medical facility if you develop a fever and other symptoms of a lower respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath.
A coronavirus, so named from the shape of its outer shell, is any one of a family of large RNA (ribonucleic acid) viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections and gastrointestinal diseases in humans and animals.
For more information about this rapidly evolving situation, visit cdc.gov/COVID19.
For local updates, visit www.solanocounty.com/ publichealth or the Solano Public Health Facebook page, @SolanoCountyPH.
For information about influenza activity and surveillance in California, visit the CDPH website at www. cdph.ca.gov.